Richonne (Short Love Stories)
by severelybabykryptonite
Summary: Series of love stories featuring Rick and Michonne.
1. Silly Chapter 1

Richonne (Short Love Stories)

Silly (Chapter 1)

**This story is dedicated to ricks-tight-n-right-brown-shirt who first welcomed me to the Richonne fandom on Tumblr and who also encouraged me to start writing again. Thank you.**

The house is quiet save for some soft, instrumental music that Michonne is listening to. Rick walks in to see her curled up in a chair, a soft throw across her lap, reading a book. Her face lights up with a smile at the sight of him. She marks her page and closes her book as she greets him. He returns the greeting as he walks over to her, placing a gentle kiss to her forehead. He moves to the coat rack in the corner to hang up his work jacket as he inquires about the kids.

"They're spending some time with Sasha and Bob. You know how she dotes on Judith, so Carl and Noah didn't want to miss out on the action. Especially since they just came back from a pretty good run," Michonne informs him.

Rick gives a small laugh, thinking of Carl and Noah elbowing their way into Judith's good fortune.

"You hungry? I saved you a plate and thank goodness I did. Between Carl and Noah, I don't see how we're going to keep this house fully stocked," she laughs as she moves into the kitchen.

Rick looks around, contemplating it all, wondering what's different about tonight. Michonne has done this for him many times before, but the atmosphere is altered somehow. He watches her closely as he walks to the sink to wash his hands. He then takes a seat at the kitchen bar wanting to talk since he has a lot on his mind, but he'd rather not bombard her with his thoughts. She seems to be enjoying a relaxing night and he wants it to stay that way.

"I thought you could eat at the table tonight," Michonne directs him.

"But I always eat at the bar," Rick returns.

She ignores him and moves directly to the dining room table with his plate. He follows her with his gaze, noting that a place setting and utensils are already laid out. He frowns asking himself what is going on. She looks back at him and he quickly makes his way to where she is waiting, patiently. He pulls a chair out and sits down. Michonne promptly places a cloth napkin in his lap…..

"Whoa! Wait a minute. What's going on? Is there something you need to tell me? Did I do something wrong?" Rick is ready to bolt from the table.

Michonne places a hand on his shoulder and says, "Isn't there something different about the house?"

Rick looks around, contemplating and answers, "It's awful quiet."

Nodding her head, Michonne agrees, "Yeah, because we're all alone."

"Ok, so when are the kids coming back?" he asks.

Pursing her lips wondering how her beautiful boyfriend could be so clueless at times, Michonne tells him, "Not for a while. Go on and eat. I have a few plans for us."

Rick picks up his fork with a smile. "Really? What are we doing?"

She takes the seat next to his, purposely ignoring his question. "So, how was your day?"

At least half an hour later, Rick has finished his meal and the two of them are carrying on a conversation while sipping some wine.

"You know what I want to do? I'd like to dance with you," Michonne tells Rick.

"What? Dance? Where?" he asks with a slight frown.

"Right here," she grabs his hand and pulls him toward the living room area. Once there, she drapes her arms around his waist, placing her head on his shoulder, and slowly begins to sway to the music.

Rick seems to be feeling a little awkward as he reluctantly holds her in his arms and attempts to mimic her movements.

"This feels a little silly," he finally admits.

"Oh, it does, huh?" Michonne pulls back to look at him.

"Just a little. I don't think I've ever slow danced in my living room," he returns.

Michonne smiles then takes his hand and places it on her plump, round ass. "How does that feel? Does that feel silly?"

Rick is totally caught off guard. He swallows visibly and frowns with confusion. "Michonne…."

"Rick, we haven't been alone since we got here. No time to be together. No place to be together. Tonight can be perfect," she starts to place kisses along his jawline, grazing his lips with hers then moving to the other side of his face. She nearly bursts with excitement when he brings his hands up to cup her face and tenderly brings his lips to hers.

_Finally, we're on the same page_ she thinks to herself as she begins to unbutton his shirt.

He grabs at his tie to remove it, trying not to break their kiss but does as he pulls it over his head. He flings it to the side, placing his hands on her hips as he brings their bodies and their lips together again.

Michonne feels heady as she revels in kissing Rick with abandonment. For the last few weeks, they have stolen kisses and caresses here and there, but were never able to truly enjoy each other and certainly not able to reach the point of any true fulfillment. She didn't know if she should rip his clothes off and go at it quickly or just take her time and enjoy each moment. She caresses his back, slowly moving her hands to gently squeeze his ass as he trails kisses from her mouth to her cheek down to her neck where he latches on, grabbing her ass in return and grinding against her.

"Is this really happening?" he says against her neck.

"Your bedroom or mine?" she asks as she turns to place her back against his front.

Holding her against him, he moves his hands up from her hips to cup her breasts. "Whichever one is closest."

Rick deliberately stays connected to her as she moves towards the staircase. He can't help touching her, knowing that this moment is about to take place, the moment he has wanted for so long now. He takes time to appreciate her shapely form for the billionth time as she leads him up the stairs. _How did I get so lucky_ he thinks to himself. _This beautiful woman really wants me?_

Moving as if she actually heard him, Michonne guides him into her room, closing the door. "I want you so bad." She eliminates the slight distance between them, bringing her hands up to clutch his head as she pulls him in for another kiss.

Rick needed no further encouragement as he returns her kiss passionately. They move together towards the bed only hesitating to remove their clothes. Once naked, his eyes are everywhere but on her face. Michonne gives a light laugh as she steps back, placing her hands on her hips as she slowly turns around to give Rick the full view.

"You done gawking yet?" she teases.

He grabs her around the waist, pulling her flush against his body. "You're driving me crazy."

They finally make it to the bed, delighting in the coolness and softness of the sheets. Rick continues with the foreplay, kissing his way down her body. By this time, Michonne is almost frantic with her desire to feel him inside of her.

"Rick please. What are you doing?" She practically begs.

"I want you to be ready for this. I don't want to hurt you. It's been a..." He stops abruptly as she guides his hand to her dripping center.

"I'm so ready," she informs him.

"Yes you are," he agrees as he aligns his body with hers, preparing for entry.

Looking into each other's eyes, they both gasp with his first thrust as it connects them in the most intimate way. Rick takes his time, moving slowly as he pushes further in.

Michonne spreads her legs wider wanting and needing all of him inside. Slowly, they begin to move together. She matches him thrust for thrust, moan for moan as they strive for the ultimate fulfillment they have both gone for so long without.

Rick is at the brink of release but he holds on trying to ensure that Michonne reaches her peak first. Just when he thought he was gonna have to give it up, she calls out his name and slams her mouth against his. She sucks his tongue into her mouth as he revels in the feel of her sex tightening and clenching around his. His body suddenly starts to jerk then stiffen as his orgasm rolls through him from head to toe. He can feel Michonne quivering beneath him, her thighs cradling him tightly as they both ride out their release.

He rolls over to his back, his breathing short and fast. "You alright?"

Turning her head to face him, she says with a deep exhale, "I'm great. You?"

He smiles sheepishly. "I did better than I thought I would."

She gives a little laugh as she sidles closer to him, caressing his chest. "You were really good, Grimes. I'm still shaking." They smile at each other with goofy grins and heart eyes.

"I'm so in love with you," Rick tells her, grasping her hand in his and bringing it to his mouth for a kiss.

He watches as her face softens and her eyes change with his declaration. He lifts his upper body, supporting himself on an elbow and realizes that she wore the same exact expression when he agreed to go to Washington. In that moment, Rick concludes that Michonne was in love with him even then.

Sudden tears blur her vision as she allows his words to sink in. She smiles and says, "I'm in love with you, too."

Rick reaches up to catch a tear as it trickles down her cheek. He leans in and gently kisses each cheek before pulling her to him, cradling her in his arms. They seal their heart felt declarations with a kiss, slowly exploring as the knowledge of what they have come to mean to each other is fully revealed.

The moment is shattered when there is a knock at the door. Michonne quietly panics and tries to scramble out of bed. Rick grabs her to him while simultaneously covering them and yells, "Come in!" She glares at him murderously before composing her face into what she hopes is a calm facade as the door opens.

"Hey Michonne..." Carl stops abruptly as he takes in the sight of Michonne and his Dad in bed together. "Dad?"

"What's up?" Rick asks as Michonne cautiously raises her hand to wave.

"Ummm...sorry. I'll just talk to you guys later." Carl attempts to back out of the room but collides with Noah (holding Judith) as he is making his way into the room.

"Did you...Oh! Ok...we're gonna...Bye." Noah grabs the back of Carl's shirt and the three of them exit the room, closing the door soundly.

Michonne can feel Rick's body shake with laughter as she swats at him lightly. "I can't believe you just did that. What is Carl gonna think?"

"Come on. He knows we're together," Rick returns.

"Yeah but he didn't have to see us like this," she retorts. "We're going to have to talk to him. Noah, too."

"I guess so since there are going to be some changes around here," Rick responds.

"Changes. What changes?" she asks.

"Well, for starters, I guess I'll be moving in here with you. After what we just shared, there is no way I'm not going to sleep by your side every night from here on out," Rick explains.

"Hmmm….really now? How do you know I'm not ok with being all by my lonesome in this room?" she returns.

He smiles as he guides her hands under the covers to his fully erect manhood. She gasps as Rick nuzzles her ear, whispering, "You'd rather be lonesome than to have this at your beck and call whenever you wanted?"

"Well, since you put it like that….." She moves on top of him, deliberately rubbing her sex against his, eliciting a groan from deep within him. They commence to make love yet again.


	2. Let Me In Chapter 2

Richonne (Short Love Stories)

Let Me In (Chapter 2)

"So, it's ok to sneak into each other's rooms night after night and screw around, but it's not ok to kiss you in front of our family? It's not ok to let people know we're together?" Rick is angry as he questions Michonne, his voice a harsh whisper.

"Why do we always have to come back to this? It's not what you think," she answers.

"Then what is it? You know what? Never mind. Where were we?" He starts to kiss her neck, letting his hands roam to her bare breasts where he pinches her nipples a little too roughly.

Michonne gasps, but rolls with it, trying to capture his face with her hands to kiss him.

Rick avoids the kiss. "I'll give you what you really want." He reaches down and rips her lacy underwear from her body then grabs her wrists and places them above her head on the pillow.

Michonne is suddenly uncertain of his actions. She doesn't know if she should be turned on or a little afraid. Both emotions flow through her body as she feels him seeking entrance. He finally locks his eyes with hers as he enters her with one forceful thrust. Her gasp is twofold as she feels him impale her with much more force than he has ever used before and because his eyes are so cold and distant.

He continues to hold her wrists against the pillow as he moves in and out of her like a man on a mission.

She tries not to respond because she doesn't want Rick in this way, not like this. Her body is a traitor as slowly, but surely she starts to tingle all over. This act of lovemaking if that's what they are doing feels right and wrong all at the same time. She lifts her hips to meet him, intensifying the sparks shooting through her body, setting her on fire. She opens her eyes, hoping to see something different than before when she looked into those baby blues, but the distance is still there. The tears form as her orgasm hits her heavy and hard. She closes her eyes as the tears trickle down and she feels the ripple of her sex as it clutches his.

Rick continues to pump into her relentlessly, finding his release shortly after she had found hers. He rests for only a short time before removing himself from her body. Sitting on the edge of the bed, his thoughts and emotions are running rampant, but he can't bring himself to voice them. He chooses to close himself off from her. Without one glance her way, he stands and walks into the bathroom.

Michonne sits up quietly, clutching the sheet to her body as the tears continue to come. She swipes at them angrily, feeling the coldness seep in without Rick by her side. This is normally the time they would cuddle and even sleep a little. He was just there with her, but he wasn't. She hears the shower come on and contemplates waiting in bed for him. They really need to talk. His cold, detached eyes flash in her memory, reminding her of what they had just shared. The end result was the same, but the journey was so different. Rick was different. She grabs her robe, putting it on and tying it as she scrambles out of the bed and returns to her room quietly.

Rick emerges from the bathroom to find his bed empty. His disappointment and relief are tangible. Disappointment because he really wants to talk things out with Michonne and relief because a part of him knows he won't be happy with her answers. He moves to sit on the bed, noticing a scrap of lacy material. He picks it up and realizes it's Michonne's underwear that he ripped from her body moments before. He drops his head with guilt, wondering what loving this woman was going to cost him.

Several days pass with the lovers practically avoiding each other. Carl notices that something is off, but trusts that his dad and Michonne will work out whatever is going on with them. Normally, Michonne walks to school with him before making her way to work. Today, she has decided to take the day off. His dad and Judy were already gone, so Carl assumed his dad knew this and proceeded to leave the house.

Hours later, Rick returns to the house to see if Michonne is there as she has yet to report to work. He takes a deep breath before making his way to her bedroom door. He reminds himself to check his anger at the door before raising his hand to knock firmly. He is not surprised when he doesn't receive an answer, so he twists the knob relieved that it's unlocked and walks in.

Michonne is lying in bed, a few articles of clothing and her backpack by her side. She locks eyes with him as he closes the door and walks further into the room.

"I got worried when you didn't show up for work. You alright?" He asks.

She sits up, folding her legs toward her body indian style. "No, I'm not alright. I may have ruined the relationship I have with my best friend because of the fears I have about letting people into my life. I've been up all night, thinking about the last few days. How we've been working together, but there's really no togetherness. That's my fault and I'm sorry."

Rick moves closer to her, but doesn't want to invade her space, so he remains standing. "Maybe I put too much pressure on you. I…." He stops as Michonne shakes her head.

"I'm to blame, Rick. I initiated the sex. I wanted it and when you wanted something more, I just…..froze. I don't want to lose you and maybe I thought that if I kept things a certain way between us that I could prevent that from happening. I've lost so much already, but I'm still here, I'm still fighting. I didn't give up. The problem with that is if I was to lose you or Carl or Judith, I would give up. I know that and that's why I've been keeping things at bay, but I don't have to do that. I can live. I can have a life and I can have that life with you if you still want me. I love you, Rick. If you want me to tell the world, I will. I just want…I need you." She waits for his response with baited breath.

He slowly makes his way to her. She turns to face him as he stands in between her legs, him looking down at her as she looks up at him. He cups her face in his hands and leans down to kiss her gently. "I love you, too. I've been in love with you for a while now and I'm willing to wait if you need more time. I just don't want to lose you." He looks pointedly at the clothes and the backpack behind her.

She knows what he's looking at and admits, "Yes, I thought about it. I was ready to run, but I'd be even more miserable, so I chose to swallow my pride and hoped you'd still have me."

"I'll always want you," he confesses as he begins to kiss her again. She leans back on the bed, pushing the clothes and backpack out of the way as she guides him to rest on top of her. She spreads her legs, cradling him, as she brings her knees up and locks her ankles at the small of his back.

He removes his work jacket and continues to kiss her. "I've missed you so much. I'm sorry for how I treated you the last time we were together. Can you forgive me?"

"All is forgiven, but you know how you can make it up to me…." She rolls her hips, grazing her sex against his. She can feel that he is more than ready to make love with her. They undress each other leisurely and spend the rest of the afternoon making love.

The next evening, the family is at Maggie and Glenn's for dinner. The food is plentiful, the atmosphere is jovial, and full of conversation. Michonne is seated next to Rick at the table. She reaches over, resting her hand on his thigh. He looks over at her, then places his hand atop hers, comforting her. They continue to stare into each other's eyes, then Michonne leans over and kisses him ever so gently on the lips. The conversation ceases almost immediately as the family witnesses the kiss.

"Well, bout damn time! Glenn, where's the wine? This deserves a toast," Daryl tells everyone.


	3. The Sweetest Little Thang Chapter 3

Richonne (Short Love Stories)

The Sweetest Little Thang (Chapter 3)

**Sequel to The Sweetest Thang. Honorable mention to amrcncpprhd1 for her assistance with this story and to literaturechick for suggesting that we all get to meet baby Richonne. Thank you.**

_The sky is so blue and almost cloudless as Michonne reclines on a blanket, enjoying the nice breeze. Springtime has arrived and everything is in bloom. The air is full of different fragrances and people are milling about, reveling in the comfortable temperature (not too hot, not too cool). She looks around the park, searching for one person in particular. He comes into view with a high pitched laugh, kicking a ball around. She watches closely to see who he is playing with, but the other child doesn't come into view._

_Minutes later, her little man comes running up to her and lands against her, throwing his arms around her neck. "Are you enjoying yourself, Peanut? Today is so pretty, isn't it? Aren't you glad Mom decided to come to the park?"_

_Andre smiles at her, nodding his head. "Yes, we're having fun."_

_She hugs him to her. "Yes, we are having fun. You hungry?" She unpacks some snacks and juice for him, continuing to engage him playfully. Once he is done with his snacks, they play a memory game with cards. Not long after that, Andre falls asleep with his head in her lap and Michonne takes in a little reading._

_Half an hour later, her son begins to stir. She smiles down at him and decides it's time for their playdate to end. She rubs his arm, lovingly, trying to rouse him from his nap. Looking at him closely, she realizes that her son's skin is several shades lighter than before, his hair is curlier and sandy brown. He turns his head toward her and opens his eyes._

_Michonne gasps loudly as she stares at him. His eyes are no longer brown, but a startling baby blue. She feels someone shake her. She looks around cautiously, then looks down to see that Andre is no longer in her lap. She opens her mouth to scream, but nothing happens. Realizing that she is all alone, she moves to stand and in the distance, she can see a herd of walkers moving her way._

"Hey, Michonne? Wake up, baby." Rick's voice pulls her out of what has now become a nightmare.

Her eyes pop open to look directly into his concerned blue ones. "You ok?" He asks.

Nodding, Michonne sighs, then says, "No. I was dreaming about Andre. At least, I think it was Andre. We were at the park and it was such a beautiful day, but then he….he changed. It was Andre, but it wasn't Andre. I've gotta stop eating in the middle of the night."

Rick reaches over to rub her protruding belly. "Good luck with that." He pulls her into his arms, holding her gently. "You gonna be ok?"

"Yeah, I guess I'm just missing him. Maybe being pregnant is making me think about him more so now than ever," she tells him.

"I would've loved to have met him," Rick returns.

Michonne nods. "He was such a good boy." She tries to fight it, but the tears come anyway. Rick holds her, supporting her as she grieves.

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Several days have passed and the Grimes family is hosting a small barbeque with their immediate family. The weather is finally taking a turn for the better and they want to take advantage of the nice, slightly breezy day. Bob is manning the grill while Daryl and Tyreese tell him how to do it, the latter two nursing a couple of beers.

Daryl looks up, scoffs loudly, and says "Check this out."

Tyreese and Bob look out into the yard and laugh.

Daryl walks inside meeting Rick at the door as he was on his way out. "You better take a look at this."

"What's going on?" Rick inquires as he follows Daryl, a beer in his hand as well.

Daryl points to the sight in the backyard. Rick takes a look and shakes his head.

Michonne is with Judith, the two of them wearing sundresses and poised in a warrior's stance. Michonne has her katana pointed out away from her body and Judith, who has been walking for a couple of months now, is holding her stance albeit a little wobbly. Carl fashioned a small replica katana for his sister out of wood (a talent he picked up at school) that she proudly carries around at all times if she's allowed.

The guys can't quite make out the instructions Michonne is giving her, but they watch entranced as Michonne pushes forward with the katana as if she is stabbing something. Judith mimics her but doesn't stop with one thrust of her weapon. She slices the air repeatedly, her little movements almost comical.

Her dad and her uncles are definitely laughing at the spectacle. Tyreese says, "Well, if that make believe walker wasn't dead on the first go round, he is certainly dead now. Don't look like Judy's playing around." The others laugh with him.

"Man, what are you gonna do with those two?" Bob asks Rick.

"I have no idea," Rick returns. "This pregnancy hasn't slowed her down one bit. If she thought I wouldn't mind, she'd still be going on runs."

The others slowly file out of the house and immediately hone in on Judith and Michonne. The girls go out to join them, praising Judith's skills and telling Michonne to take it easy. Of course, the latter doesn't listen. Soon, all of them are polishing up on their hand to hand combat skills, Judith the center of everyone's attention.

Much later, everyone is seated in a circle in the backyard, eating and drinking and enjoying themselves as they always do. Glenn and Maggie seem more jovial tonight and decide to tell everyone why. He uses his fork, tapping against his beer bottle to get everyone's attention. "Hey, guys. Pipe down. Maggie and I have something we need to say."

They look at each other, grasping each other's hands, and announce, "We're pregnant!"

Cheers are heard all around, even a few tears are shed. The family is growing and everyone is really happy.

Michonne makes her way over to Maggie to give her a tight embrace. "I'm so happy for you. I know how much you've wanted this."

Maggie cradles Michonne's stomach with her hands and nods. "I've been crying ever since we found out. You gotta help me out, too. I'm so glad we'll be pregnant together for a little while."

Michonne agrees as the two of them rejoin the family and they all continue to celebrate the good news.

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"Please. It's been at least a week now. It'll be ok. I promise. Remember we talked to Dr. S and he said sex during pregnancy was fine," Michonne tells Rick.

"That was when you were in the first stages of pregnancy. You're 8 ½ months pregnant, so no go. No," Rick returns.

She reaches over to caress his bare chest. "But I want you. Once the baby gets here, we'll have to wait 6 long weeks before we can do anything. We need to get it all in now."

"It's really late. You need your rest, so come on, let's go to sleep." He pulls her toward him, her back against his front as he places an arm around her and prepares for slumber. His eyes pop open as he feels Michonne wiggling her hips, pressing her rear against him. His body reacts almost immediately. He tries to push away from her, but she felt him.

"Aha!" She turns to face him. "You want some, too?'

Rick's cheeks are red as he covers himself with his hands and says, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Michonne sits up on her knees and removes her nightgown, revealing her completely nude body underneath.

_Damn. She is so beautiful. Why is she doing this to me?_ Rick thinks to himself. "Ok, I admit it. I want you, but I really don't think it's a good idea and…" He watches as Michonne grabs his boxers and pulls them down his legs. "…..you're not listening to me. Ok, I guess we're doing this then."

She smiles as she straddles him, leaning forward to kiss him, passionately. She aligns his member with her body and guides him in as she sits down on him slowly. They both exhale loudly as their bodies connect. "Oh, that feels so good."

Rick rolls his head against the pillow, agreeing with her. He grabs her hips and gasps as she starts to move with him. _How can this be even better than before she got pregnant? Shit._

Michonne places her hands on his chest as she moves sensuously and slowly, enjoying their lovemaking even more now than before. Much later, they're both close to release, both panting, both moving at a quicker pace, seeking that glorious fulfillment.

Rick comes first, almost lifting his body off the bed it hits him so powerfully. He continues to move, ensuring that Michonne reaches her peak as well. Seconds later, she cries out his name as she feels wave after wave wash over her with her orgasm. He turns his body, slowly moving her so she can lie down beside him, separating their bodies in the process.

She smiles at him and says, "That was so good. I really needed that. Hmmmm…..Oh!" She feels a sharp pain in her abdomen. "Now, that didn't feel very good."

"What? What is it?" Rick asks with concern.

She attempts to sit up, but can't because the pain is too intense. "Ohhh, that really hurts."

Rick jumps up. "What hurts? What's going on?!"

"It's ok. It's ok. Ok, that's better. It's subsiding now. It's subsiding," she assures him, breathing heavily.

Rick slowly makes his way back into bed, his hands going to her stomach. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yea, I….ohhhhhhhhhhh! It's back. The pain's back. Oh my god, are these contractions?!" She yells.

"I don't know! Are you in labor?" Rick panics.

Michonne eyes him as she says, "I can't be. I'm not ready."

Rick fumbles as he grabs her nightgown, pulling it over her head and pushing her arms through. He doesn't notice that it's on backward as he pulls on his boxers and races to the closest to get dressed. He throws on whatever and grabs the already packed overnight bag. He moves to the door, but Michonne stops him.

"Don't leave me," she begs.

"I'm not leaving. I'm going to wake up Carl, so he'll know we had to go to…" He stops as she interrupts him.

"No, don't wake him up. He needs…..Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!" Michonne grabs her stomach and tries to rock herself through the pain.

Carl appears in the hallway, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What's with all the yelling?"

"IthinkMichonne'sinlabor. Goingtotheinfirmary. TakecareofJudy," Rick's words are jumbled, but Carl understands every word as his eyes grow big and he rushes into the room, to Michonne's side.

She grabs his hand as her eyes begin to water. "I'm ok. It's gonna be ok. It just hurts a little right now." Her breathing is rapid as she fights through the pain, unable to relax.

Carl helps her up from the bed, leading her over to his dad. He grabs a robe from the closet placing it over her shoulders. Rick helps put her arms into the robe and ties it as best as he is able with shaking hands.

"I'll get dressed and get the others and come over with Judy," Carl tells them as he sees them down the stairs and out the front door.

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Hours later, Michonne is still in labor. One of Dr. S's assistants suggested that she walk around. Walking supposedly helps lessen the labor pains, so Rick and Michonne are walking up and down the hall, doing anything to alleviate the pain of her contractions.

"Baby, you're awfully quiet. Please…yell if you need to, squeeze my hand, whatever you need," Rick tells her anxiously.

"Yelling isn't helping me at all. I forgot how much this shit hurts," she tells him as tears stream down her face.

Just then, the family arrives to show their support. The girls surround Michonne giving her as much love and support as they can. The guys do the same with Rick, but soon Mom and Dad are back together again, awaiting the much anticipated birth of their child.

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Dr. Stevens examines Michonne again and announces, "I think we can start pushing now."

Michonne pulls from memory the birthing process and tries her best to bring their child into the world safely. Rick is by her side, holding her hand, coaching her to the best of his ability. Sweat is popping up on his forehead and his vision begins to swim.

Dr. S looks over at him with concern. "Let's get Rick a chair please. Hurry."

Michonne turns her head to glance at him and can't help smiling. Rick is terrified. She squeezes his hand and mouths, "I love you." He nods as he takes a seat and swipes the sweat from his brow.

Thirty minutes later, the whimsical sound of a healthy baby's cry fills the room. Rick and Michonne are both in tears as Dr. S proclaims, "It's a boy! Congratulations!"

A few minutes later, the assistant places the swaddled bundle in Michonne's arms as Rick looks on in amazement. They both move the blanket away from his face to get a good look at him. He's so tiny, but he has a full head of curly hair and he's already sucking on one of his balled up fists.

"Hey, little guy. You hungry already?" Rick says and as if he heard him, the baby opens his eyes and looks directly at his dad.

Michonne and Rick both gasp as his eyes are almost as blue as his dad's. Her dream about Andre comes to mind immediately. She looks up towards the heavens and smiles as the tears continue to stream down her face.

Moments later, the room is full of people as the family has come in to welcome their newest addition.

"So, what's his name?" Sasha asks.

"Raile Andreis Carlton Grimes," Michonne announces.

They all look at each other and Rick's exclamation is exactly what everyone else is thinking. "What?"

**A/N: There you have it, my fellow Richonners. Rick and Michonne have a son. Raile is pronounced rah-lee and amrcncpphd1 helped me to come up with that. This was so much fun to write. I hope everyone enjoys reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Take care.**


	4. How Many Drinks Chapter 4

How Many Drinks (Chapter 4)

**A/N: My first shot at AU and totally inspired by Miguel's How Many Drinks. Also, my first submission for the Richonne Fics April Song Challenge. Hope you enjoy it!**

Michonne opens her eyes slowly to see a mass of dark curls on the pillow in front of her. She looks around the room, trying not to panic, then comes back to the dark curls allowing her gaze to move to the broad shoulders, the masculine back…._Oh my. I didn't, but I did. I had sex with him._ She groans aloud before she knows it and the head of dark curls turns to reveal a smiling handsome face with the bluest eyes she has ever seen.

She swallows nervously as he stretches making the sheet drop even further and she sees just enough to know that he is as naked as she is.

"Good morning," he greets as he moves closer to her. Reaching out, he strokes her upper arm and leans in to place a soft kiss on her shoulder.

She actually shudders as the memories of what she and this man…._Rick. His name is Rick_….shared last night come flooding in._ Honestly, I haven't had sex that good in…..I don't think I've ever had sex that good._ His hand on her ass brings her back from her reflections quickly.

"Can I get you something? Breakfast? Coffee? Me?" He asks seductively.

_Damn. Why is that working on me?_ She thinks as he moves even closer. She can feel all of him as he presses his body against hers and he is really turning her on. _Oh, what the hell?_

An hour later, she is getting dressed as Rick disappeared several minutes ago. She carefully makes her way through his spacious apartment, looking around curiously. The wonderful aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifts to her and guides her to the kitchen. Rick is there wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants. He smiles as she walks in.

"Have a seat. I've got coffee. Just tell me how you like it," he requests.

She places her purse on the bar as she takes a seat, watching closely as he sets a mug of coffee before her. "Just cream and sugar. Thank you."

He gives her what she needs, moving back to the stove, and asks, "So, how do you like your eggs?"

"Please. Don't go through any trouble for me. I should get going," she tells him.

He turns to face her. "So, is this the part where you run off and I never hear from you again?"

Michonne takes a sip of her coffee and contemplates how to respond. "Look, I don't want to sound like a prude but honestly I've never slept with someone I just met. I had a couple of drinks last night but I wasn't drunk so what excuse can I use for this behavior?"

"Attraction? Desire? Lust?" He folds his arms across his chest, leaning against the stove as he waits for her reply.

_All of those things and more_ she reflects quietly as she drinks him in with her eyes. Out loud, she says, "Well, whatever. I should leave now. Wait. We came here in your car, right?"

"Right, so I guess I'll have to take you back to your car at the club," he states.

"Or I could catch a cab," she suggests.

"No way. I'll be right back." Moments later, he returns having put on a navy t-shirt and running shoes. He grabs his keys from a post by the door. "You ready?"

She sighs as she slowly removes herself from the bar seat, grabbing her purse to follow him out. He gestures for her to walk ahead of him. _A gentleman too? _ She looks back at him with a self-conscious smile, noticing that he is definitely checking her out. _Why is the fact that he isn't wearing any underwear the only thing on my mind right now? I need help._

They are mostly quiet during the car ride. Rick can tell that she is struggling with what happened while surprisingly, he isn't struggling at all. He has never done anything like it before either, but there's a first time for everything and he doesn't regret it. The sex was the hottest he has ever had.

The nightclub comes into view, looking totally different in the light of day. Rick pulls up to Michonne's car. She is already grabbing for the handle before he can shift to park.

"Hey, can I at least put my number in your cell phone?" He inquires.

Against her better judgment or maybe it's just to get rid of him sooner, she reaches into her purse and hands him her cell. He quickly puts his name and number in and saves it under her contacts.

"Call me," he requests as he hands the phone back to her. She exits the car and moves into hers quickly. He sits waiting patiently, ensuring that she leaves safely.

She gives him an awkward wave as she drives off.

_Damn. She's not going to call me_. He realizes as he follows her out of the parking lot and turns in the opposite direction.

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Two weeks have passed and Michonne has browsed through her contacts each day, pulling up Rick Grimes' info, saying she's going to call, but never does. Excuse after excuse pops into her head and she backs out every time. She feels awful because she never even thanked him for driving her to her car, but the embarrassment of having a one night stand still clouds her thoughts and she just wants to forget it ever happened. Of course, forgetting is not that easy as he seems to invade her dreams….erotic dreams mind you…almost every night.

To top it all off, she made the mistake of telling her best friend, Andrea, about her encounter who was only too happy to do a little investigating to find out exactly who Rick Grimes is. Former cop from some hick town in Georgia, owns a home in Senoia, club owner with his former police partner and best friend, Shane Walsh, early thirties, and may be a possible womanizer.

"You really know how to pick 'em Chonne," Andrea scoffs.

"Don't remind me, ok?" Michonne replies.

"Well, what was so special about him anyway?" Andrea wants to know.

"I don't know. He looked nice, he bought me a couple of drinks, we had a decent conversation and I still don't know how I ended up in his car and in his bed," Michonne returns.

Andrea sits up abruptly, "You think he roofied you?!"

"No, no. I was of sound mind and body the whole time. There was just something about him," Michonne reflects.

"So, why haven't you called him?" Her friend looks at her pointedly.

"Try embarrassment. He probably thinks I'm a whore and you just told me that he probably is. I was just another notch on his bedpost," Michonne details.

"Awww, you sound so disappointed. You really like this guy," Andrea states.

"I don't even know him. How can I like him?" Michonne retorts.

"Oh, you like him 'coz you fucked him. I hope he was good," Andrea says as she rolls her eyes.

Michonne gives a slight smirk, then laughs.

"Are you serious? He was that good? Tell me," Andrea insists.

"Oh no. I never kiss and tell. You know that. I just haven't stopped thinking about him," Michonne's voice goes quiet as Rick's face pops up in her memory.

"Isn't Thursday night usually ladies' night at the club?" Andrea's mind is turning as she asks the question.

"You can forget about it. I am not going back to that club," Michonne affirms adamantly.

Well, she kept her promise. She didn't go to the club, but that didn't stop Andrea from making an appearance. The next day, she reports to Michonne that Rick wasn't even at the club.

"How do you know that?" Michonne asks.

"We met Shane last night, so I just asked him where his partner was," Andrea supplies.

"We?" Michonne prods.

"I made Sasha go with me," Andrea answers.

"So, where was Rick?" Michonne questions.

"I don't know. Not there. Shane wouldn't say more and I didn't want to seem like I was interested in Rick," Andrea says.

"Wait. What?"

"I gotta go. I have a massive hangover. I'll talk to you later," Andrea promptly ends the call.

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Saturday morning arrives and Michonne has just pulled into a space at the park where she likes to jog. She walks to her favorite starting point and begins to stretch. She is just about to put her earbuds in to listen to her IPod when a gentlemen walks by slowly and a little too closely for her comfort. He stops at the tree in front of her and turns to face her. Her heart nearly stops as she recognizes Rick Grimes. The nervousness comes immediately and she wishes she could just run away but….._he looks even better than the last time I saw him._

"Hi," he greets her, smiling.

"Hello. What are you doing here?" she inquires.

"Following you. I knew you weren't going to call me, so I took matters into my own hands. Did a little police work and found out where you live, where you work, where you like to jog. I figured I'd fare better here at the park instead of at your house or your job. I'm giving off that whole stalker vibe, you know," Rick admits.

Michonne can't help it. She laughs, but she can't complain because she basically had Andrea do the same thing to find out about him.

"Before you say anything, can we start over? Would you go out on a date with me? I really want to get to know you," Rick suggests with a hint of hesitation and nervousness.

"Really? Just a date after everything we've shared," Michonne returns.

"Just a date. Tonight. Can I pick you up at 7?" Rick's look is hopeful as he stares into her eyes.

Michonne feels like a school girl talking to her crush as her stomach seems to be doing little flips and her heart is beating so fast she might faint. "Ok. I'll see you at 7." _What am I doing?_

He nods and begins to walk away. "Enjoy your jog. See you later."

"See you later," she tells him as she replaces her earbuds and starts her jog. Unbeknownst to her, Rick turns around to watch her as she jogs off, admiring her in her spandex jogging pants and matching tank top.

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The doorbell rings at exactly 7 pm. Michonne checks her appearance in the foyer mirror and opens the door with a smile. "Hi. Prompt, huh?" She almost gasps when she notices the huge bouquet of flowers he is holding.

"Hi. Yeah, I kinda need to make a good impression here," he tells her. "These are for you."

"Thank you. Come in," she invites as she accepts the bouquet and slyly watches him, admiring how handsome he looks in a light blue button down shirt, navy blazer, blue jeans, and boots. It's a tad more casual than the suit he was wearing when she first met him, but he still looks good.

He turns to face her, unabashed in his appraisal of her in a lacy black dress. "You are beautiful."

"Thank you. Um…you want to have a seat while I put these in some water and get my purse?" She offers. He agrees so she guides him to the living room with a promise of her short return.

An hour later, they are well into their dinner and actually enjoying each other's company. "So, what does AFU stand for?" Michonne wants to know.

"Now, that was all Shane. It's police slang but fitting I suppose. All Fucked Up," Rick answers with a smile.

"Are you serious? I thought it was Atlanta something or other," she returns with a laugh.

"If you ever meet Shane, you'll understand," he says.

"Did you guys have this dream of owning a nightclub? Is that what you talked about on stake outs?"

"Not really. Shane came into a lot of money after his mom died and he felt like we weren't going anywhere in King's County, so he pitched this idea of opening a nightclub in Atlanta. It was far-fetched but he had the money, he wanted me in with him 50/50, so I took a chance and it worked out. I'm not as involved in the actual running of the club, not like before. I mostly handle security, plus I've started another business where we specialize in security systems for homes and businesses," he informs her. "I just landed a nice contract with a housing development, so things are really taking off."

She is intrigued. "Well, that's impressive."

"Says the lawyer who may be up for partner soon," Rick takes a sip of his wine, watching her.

"How could you possibly know that?" she asks.

"I used to be a cop, remember? There's not a whole lot about you that I can't find out," he relays.

Michonne shakes her head, "Well, stop digging before you find that body I buried in my back yard."

They share another laugh and continue the conversation throughout dinner and dessert. Afterwards, they take a short stroll through the square, both content with the ease in which they can communicate.

An hour or so later, Rick is escorting Michonne to her door, bidding her good night.

"Are you sure you don't want to come in?" she asks.

"Oh, I want to come in alright, but I also want you to take me seriously, so I think I'd better decline," he admits.

Michonne feels a new respect for Rick. She is a bit disappointed, but understands and is quite pleased with his decision. "Can I at least kiss you goodnight?"

Rick quickly takes her into his arms and they share a short but meaningful kiss. "So, when can I see you again?"

She smiles widely at him. "Is tomorrow too soon?"

**A/N: Please review and let me know what you think. Part II coming shortly.**


	5. How Many Drinks Part II Chapter 5

Richonne (Short Love Stories) How Many Drinks Part II (Chapter 5)

Six months have passed and Rick and Michonne are in a full-fledged relationship. Both of them are busy with their careers, but make it a priority to spend time together. Rick is in Atlanta during the week, so they alternate between each other's apartments. Most Friday nights, they travel to his home in Senoia for the weekend, returning to Atlanta on Monday morning.

"Michonne! You forgot to set the alarm! It's almost 9 o'clock!" Rick scrambles out of bed, looking around trying to figure out what to do first.

Michonne turns over lazily and looks at him. "What's going on?"

"I was supposed to be in Atlanta by 8:30. I've got that meeting with Blake," he reminds her.

"Calm down." She moves over to his side of the bed, grabs his cell phone, and hands it to him. "Call Daryl and tell him to handle the meeting for you and you'll be back tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow morning? No, the meeting is this morning. Come on, let's get dressed. I'll just have to be late," he concludes.

She reaches for her cell and starts texting.

"What are you doing?" he asks.

"Telling Andrea to cover for me since I'll be out of the office today spending time with my boyfriend," she completes her text and places the phone back on the night stand.

"No, we're not staying. We gotta go," he tells her.

Michonne stifles a yawn as she stretches her arms up and out, allowing the sheet to fall revealing her bare, perky breasts. She eyes Rick as she brings her fingertips to her nipples and starts to circle them slowly. "But it would be so much fun for us to spend the day together."

Rick drops the phone, then bends down to retrieve it, searching for Daryl's number, but eyeing her at the same time. Luckily, Daryl picks up after the first ring.

"Hey, man, I thought we were meeting at 8:30," Daryl speaks in a hurry.

"Yeah, umm….something came up, so I can't make the meeting. Would you handle everything for me? I'll be back in the city tomorrow morning," Rick informs him.

"But you told Blake you'd be there," Daryl returns.

Michonne pushes the sheet away to reveal her completely nude body, spreading her legs wide as she slides a hand down to caress her womanhood.

Rick gulps loudly. "Daryl, the meeting. Handle it. Gotta go." He ends the call abruptly and tosses the phone aside. He is completely mesmerized watching Michonne pleasure herself. He is torn between arousal and voyeurism. Arousal because he wants to join her, a vision of burying his head between her long and shapely brown legs drifting to the surface of his mind, and voyeurism because this is better than any skin flick he has ever watched.

Her lips part on a gasp as she increases the pace, rocking her hips to match the rhythm of her hand. Her groans flow to Rick, drawing a response from his body, his manhood lengthening, hardening, and thickening.

"Oh….oh, Rick, I'm coming," she pants. Her body stiffens suddenly as she arches her back, pulling her legs together as if she may fall to pieces if she doesn't.

His own breathing ragged, he gives her a moment to recover, admiring her lack of inhibition. _Damn. This woman never ceases to amaze me._ "Am I needed at all here?"

"Hmmmm….yes, you're definitely needed, but I want to watch you now," she informs him as she zeroes in on his fully erect member.

"What?" He asks as he frowns with confusion.

"Slide your hand down and pleasure yourself while I watch," she instructs.

"Michonne, I don't think….." He stops suddenly as she parts her legs again, exposing herself, her flesh glistening with fresh juices.

"She's all yours if you do." She smiles as he slowly grips his manhood, moving his hand up and down gently. She clutches the sheets as she tries to refrain from reaching out to touch him. It's her turn to be mesmerized as she admires the way his stomach muscles clench with his movements and the way his biceps are on full display. She is brought out of her little daydream when Rick starts to walk toward her.

"I need a little help," he tells her as he makes his way to her side of the bed, still caressing himself.

She waits in anticipation, wondering what he has in mind. He slowly removes his hand from his body and touches Michonne's center. A knowing smile spreads across his face as her breath hitches and she rolls her hips up to feel more of his hand on her. He fingers her gently, then grasps himself again, coating her juices all over his length.

She is front and center and starts to groan almost as loudly as he does just watching him. He closes his eyes, letting his head drop back as he really gets into it. Moments later, he releases a strangled cry as his body jerks with his climax. He allows his hands to drop to his sides as he brings his eyes back to hers, breathing heavily.

Michonne moves up on her knees in front of him, wrapping her hand around him, wanting to prolong his orgasm.

He jerks again and whispers, "Don't."

"That was so hot. Do you even realize how sexy you are?" She starts to kiss his neck, pulling his skin into her mouth, biting and sucking gently.

Rick's knees almost buckle, so she turns his body and allows him to collapse on the bed.

"So, do you need a couple of minutes?" She inquires with a smile.

"Just a couple," he says as he grabs her ass with a slight squeeze.

Hours later, they are preparing for the short trip back to Atlanta. Michonne is making the bed as Rick returns from placing some items in the car. He stands in the bedroom doorway, watching her.

"You ready?" she asks as she notices him.

"I have a favor to ask of you," he informs her.

"Sure, babe. Whatever you need," she returns.

"Well, I've been talking about you to someone and she'd really like to meet you," he says with just a hint of hesitancy.

"Ok, who is it and what have you been telling her?" Michonne teases.

He moves over to her, draping his arms around her waist. She looks up at him, expectantly.

"How do you feel about going to King's County next weekend? My mom wants to meet you," he tells her.

"Your mom? You've been talking to your mom about me?" She bites her bottom lip, nervously.

"Yep and she's most impressed, so she wants to meet you. I've been putting it off for a while now, but she's getting pretty persistent," he relays.

"Why have you been putting it off?" Michonne wants to know.

"I'm trying to keep you, not scare you off," he jokes. "Honestly, I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it, so I just didn't say anything. I haven't met your folks yet, so…"

Michonne frowns as she can't tell if he just made a dig at her about not meeting her folks. She just never truly gave it much thought, but she realizes they have been together long enough to warrant a meeting with each other's families. "Ok, we'll go to King's County next weekend and we can go to Columbus the weekend after that. How does that sound?"

"Great. I'll make arrangements, but um…does your family even know about me?" He asks cautiously.

Michonne takes a speculative look at him and realizes that Rick is trying to slyly divulge how deeply she feels for him. "Yes, they know about you. I didn't tell them everything of course, but they know that I'm dating a former cop who is now a business owner and that I'm totally crazy about him."

"Is that right? So, what did you leave out?" He reels back as Michonne swats at him playfully.

"You know exactly what I left out and you better not say one word about it," she demands.

He laughs as he grabs her hand and leads her out of the house.

A few weeks have passed and all is going well for the couple. The visits with both of their families went as well as could be expected. Rick's family welcomed Michonne with open arms, especially his mother, Gladys. His father, Arthur, was a little more reserved and laid back, but seemed to enjoy their visit. They hit a snag in Columbus as one of Michonne's uncles wasn't too happy with his niece dating a white man. Ms. Mae (as Rick calls her), Michonne's mother, quickly put her brother in his place, letting him know that if her daughter was happy, nothing else mattered. Michonne's father, Walter, agreed with his wife. Rick was uncomfortable for a short time, but realized that he was only worried about her parents' opinion of him and they seemed to like him just fine.

Another Friday night has rolled around and Rick is busy with work, so Michonne decides to join Andrea and Sasha for a girls' night out. They had dinner, took in a movie, and now Michonne is ready to call it a night.

"No way. It's barely 10 o'clock. I say we go to AFU and have a few drinks. Drinks we probably won't have to pay for," Andrea tells them.

"Is that your only motivation? Free drinks?" Sasha asks.

"What else are you gonna do? Come on," Andrea prompts.

Michonne is unsure, but gives in. "Fine, but I'm only staying for an hour."

AFU is packed as usual, but they manage to find a table. Luckily, they didn't have to name drop to get any perks. At least, two guys has sent a round of drinks to their table. One of them was bold enough to come over and ask Michonne for a dance. She was flattered, but turned him down nicely.

"Too bad Rick isn't here. Wonder how he'd react to his woman getting all this attention?" Sasha leans toward her with a smile. "You know you gotta keep him on his toes."

Michonne laughs, shaking her head at Sasha.

"Oh, he's here alright. Does that little scene over there mean he's trying to keep you on your toes?' Andrea asks with a smirk.

"What are you talking about?" Michonne inquires.

Andrea points in a certain direction. Michonne looks over and sees Rick conversing with a tall brunette who's unsuccessfully trying to drape her hands all over him. She narrows her eyes as she takes in the scene, her heartbeat quickening, but decides not to get upset.

"Wonder what they're talking about?" Andrea snaps.

"Don't make it worse, Andrea," Sasha interjects.

"Is he leaving with her?! Oh, hell no! Come on, you need to confront them," Andrea is grabbing her purse as she attempts to stand.

MIchonne gives her a stern look. "Sit down, Andrea. It's nothing." She watches as Rick places his hand at the brunette's elbow, steering her towards the front exit. _He is not leaving with her. He can't be._

"I knew it! I knew he was no different than Shane and you fell for this bullshit!" Andrea states. "How long has it been? Six, seven months? Yeah, that's about right. They always move on after a few months."

"Maybe you should stop talking right now," Sasha says to Andrea. She looks to Michonne. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Michonne informs her. _If he's not back in five minutes…._

"You are not fine, Michonne. Your boyfriend just waltzed out of here with some bimbo. He's probably taking her back to his place just like he did with you…." Andrea stops abruptly as Michonne gets up from the table and walks off.

When Andrea sees that she is moving towards the back of the club, she yells, "You're going the wrong way!" She turns back to Sasha. "You know what? Fine, she won't handle it, I will. He's not going to get away with this shit."

She moves in the direction she saw Rick take, but Sasha stops her. "You've really upset Michonne. I think we should go check on her."

Andrea scoffs, "And let that asshole get away with treating her like this?"

Sasha was about to retort when they both notice Rick coming their way.

"Hey. Where's Michonne?" He wants to know.

Andrea frowns at him. "Really? What'd you do? Give her the key to your place and told her to wait for you?"

"What?" He asks with a frown.

"We saw you, Rick. Michonne saw you leave with that woman, so what's your excuse? You obviously didn't know she was here, otherwise you wouldn't have been playing the field tonight," Andrea states.

Rick is shaking his head as he is trying to comprehend all of this. "I knew Michonne was here and I'm not playing the field. Where is she?"

"I think she went to the ladies' room," Sasha inputs.

He makes a move to leave, but Andrea detains him. "No, you leave her alone. You men are all the same, aren't you?"

"I don't know what your problem is, but I wasn't hitting on anyone or making plans with any…..Why am I talking to you?" He walks off with a huff in pursuit of Michonne.

Michonne is in the ladies room, trying to hold it together. She just had to get away from Andrea before she started playing into her madness. _Rick wouldn't hurt me. I know he wouldn't. Why did I even come here tonight? _She looks at herself in the mirror, then looks at her watch. _If he didn't come back…_ She can't even fathom the thought, so she takes a deep breath and steps out.

Rick is in the hallway outside of the ladies' room, lounging against the wall with his head down. He straightens up quickly at the sight of her, trying to gauge her mood.

She is visibly relieved when she sees him. She exhales with a smile. "You came back."

He walks up to her slowly, bending his head slightly to look directly into her eyes. "I don't know exactly what's going on. Your friend, Andrea, is yelling at me, but I didn't do anything wrong. The lady you saw me with? She was drunk, so I asked Jokes to get her a cab home." He hesitates for only a moment. "I do know her. She's an ex, but that happened way before you and tonight was the first time I have seen her in over a year."

"You don't have to explain anything to me," Michonne returns.

"No, I do. I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us. You told me what you went through with Mike and I told you about my stuff. We both agreed that we weren't those type people and you've gotta know that I would never do that you. Never. I had a little time when I first moved here, trying to hang with Shane, but that's not me. You know that."

She moves up to him slowly, placing her hands at his shoulders. "Rick, I know." She kisses him softly, smiling against his lips as he wraps his arms around her waist, deepening their kiss. They break apart when they hear Andrea's voice.

"I should've known you'd fall for his charms. Wake up….." Andrea stops as Michonne gives her the most murderous look over Rick's shoulder.

Sasha laughs as she grabs Andrea by the arm and pulls her away.

"Can you get rid of her?" Rick asks about Andrea. They both laugh. "I think her real problem is Shane."

"What does Shane have to do with any of this?" Michonne asks.

"You mean you don't know?" Rick is surprised that her best friend hasn't informed her of her relationship with his best friend.

**A/N: I wanted to at least address the idea of Rick possibly being a womanizer hence the club scene. He tried it at one point, but that wasn't who he was. Also, now that Michonne is in his life, he only has eyes for her. This story won't stop. I already have ideas for Part III, so do you guys want more?**


	6. How Many Drinks Part III Chapter 6

Richonne (Short Love Stories) How Many Drinks Part III (Chapter 6)

The next morning, Michonne is at Andrea's door, waiting patiently to be let in. She made an effort to connect with her friend via text after she left the club with Rick, letting her know she'd be at her place with breakfast bright and early. She is relieved when the door opens to reveal a sleepy and grumpy looking Andrea. She steps in and closes the door behind her.

"Sasha's on her way with coffee. Are you ok?" Michonne inquires.

"Yes and no. Tell Rick I'm sorry for giving him a hard time, I…" she stops as Michonne interrupts.

"You're going to tell him yourself," she states.

Andrea groans as she recognizes the tenacity in Michonne's voice. There's no arguing with her now.

"So, why didn't you tell me about Shane?" Michonne wants to know just as the doorbell chimes.

Andrea pops up quickly, anything to avoid a talk about Shane however inevitable. She allows Sasha in, grabbing one of the coffees as she passes by.

Michonne and Sasha greet each other, exchanging cups and pastries as the three of them get settled in the living room for a talk. It doesn't take long for the three of them to conclude that Shane is an asshole and Andrea is better off without him.

"Rick thinks you should give him a taste of his own medicine, but I say forget about him and move on," Michonne tells her.

"Yeah, it's not like you don't have options, Andrea," Sasha chimes in.

Andrea contemplates their advice and vows to herself to try and forget about Shane.

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Another week has passed and Rick and Michonne are attending an art showing at a local gallery. He surprised her with the tickets a couple of days ago, reminding her that she used to attend shows all the time and he wanted to share the experience with her.

Michonne found it endearing and she truly has a love for art. It was something she had in common with Mike, thus the reason she hadn't attended a show in a while. She is admiring a beautiful piece by a familiar local artist when she hears a deep yet soft, "Hello." She turns to come face to face with her ex-boyfriend, Mike. _You have got to be kidding me. I haven't seen this man in over a year and he's here…tonight. Great._

"Hello. How are you?" She greets.

"Fine. I see you're still as gorgeous as ever," he returns with a smile.

"Thank you. Enjoying the show?" She asks.

"As a matter of fact, I am. Jonathan, you remember him, don't you? He actually sold a couple of paintings tonight," he informs her.

She gives him a genuine smile. "Yes, Jonathan Snyder, I remember him. I saw his name on the roster. That's great."

Rick returns at that moment, offering her a flute of champagne as he nods at Mike.

Michonne accepts the champagne with a quiet thank you. "Rick, this is Mike. Mike, this is my boyfriend, Rick." She watches with interest as Mike's eyes pop just slightly. He recovers quickly and offers Rick a handshake.

Rick obliges him. "Nice to meet you. So, you enjoying the show?"

"Yeah, I was just telling Michonne that a friend of mine sold a couple of pieces tonight," Mike informs him.

"That's great," Rick states.

"Well, I'd better be going. It was great to see you again, Michonne," Mike looks to her with a smile, then turns to Rick. "She's a good one. I wouldn't let her get away if I were you."

"Thanks," Rick voices with some hesitancy. He watches as Mike walks away, then turns to Michonne with a smirk. "So, was that ex-boyfriend Mike and did he just give me advice about you?"

She scoffs as she takes his hand, leading him to peruse some of the other art pieces. "Come on, I want to show you something."

Rick is impressed by how knowledgeable and detailed Michonne is when it comes to art. He relishes in seeing the way she enjoys and appreciates the art. Some of the displays he doesn't understand at all, but she informs him that is part of the beauty of the creation….the complexity. He is just happy to be sharing something with her that she has such a love for.

Later that night, after a hot and heavy love session, they are wrapped in each other's arms, exhausted and welcoming the relaxation that slumber will bring.

"Can I ask you something?" Rick inquires.

Michonne gets even more comfortable, resting her head in the crook of his arm. "Shoot."

"Do you still have feelings for Mike?"

She lifts her head to look at him. "No. It took me a while to get over him, but I did…eventually."

"How did you feel about seeing him tonight?"

Michonne runs her fingers over Rick's chest, fingering the sparse hair. "Honestly, I panicked at first because I just wasn't expecting him to be there. I was a little nervous, but then you came walking up with that smile of yours and you made it all ok. I have you now so I don't have to worry about what happened in the past."

"You have me now, huh? So, does that mean you want to keep me?" He asks with a silly smile.

She kisses his chest softly. "Of course I want to keep you. Don't ever doubt that."

Rick cups her face with his hands, searching her eyes, his heart pounding loudly. "You know I'm in love with you, right?"

Michonne gasps, her stomach mimicking the same flips she felt when she first laid eyes on him. She places a hand over one of his, recognizing the sincerity in his voice, in his eyes. She kisses him ever so lightly on the lips, pulling back to seek his eyes again. "I'm in love with you, too."

ɣɣɣɣɣɣ

The small get together is in full swing at Michonne's apartment. She is hosting a dinner party in honor of Rick landing another coveted contract with a housing development. His business is growing steadily and Michonne is very proud of him. Everyone is already in attendance, except for Shane. He has to make an entrance every time. She is in the kitchen with Sasha and Andrea, preparing to serve dinner.

"So, who is Mr. Blake again?" Andrea asks curiously.

"He owns the housing development company that Rick landed his first contract with. He was also essential in helping to land the other contract with Hershel Greene. And why are you asking about Mr. Blake?" Michonne smiles at her.

"Just curious," Andrea returns.

"Yeah, right," Sasha pipes in.

The doorbell chimes and seconds later, they hear Shane's booming voice as he moves through the apartment, coming their way. He greets the ladies with a smile, giving Michonne a hug. "Don't say it. I know I'm late, but I bought you the most expensive bottle of wine they had plus I brought flowers. Now, ain't you proud of me?"

"Thank you, Shane. You're forgiven. I won't let you go hungry tonight," Michonne says.

He nods as he looks over at Andrea.

She smiles nicely at him. "How've you been?"

"Fine. You?" Shane returns.

"I'm doing great," Andrea states.

Everyone enjoyed the dinner and they are now milling around, branching off into groups and couples, discussing interests, politics, and whatever comes up.

Rick is talking with Michonne, thanking her for a nice get together. She is about to respond when Shane walks over.

He looks over at Andrea who is conversing with Phillip Blake. "So, who is this dude?"

Rick and Michonne smile at each other knowingly as Rick answers, "Phillip Blake. I told you about him. He has the housing development company, remember?"

The two of them walk off and Michonne looks around to see who she can have a conversation with. She is pleasantly surprised to see Sasha seated on the couch, engrossed in whatever Daryl Dixon is talking about. _Interesting._

Later that night, the dinner ends promptly at 10. Rick and Michonne thank their guests, attempting to get rid of their friends as well, but they insist on helping with the clean-up. It is so obvious that Daryl and Shane are hanging around because Sasha and Andrea are still there. The kitchen, dining, and living areas are spotless within a minimum amount of time with everyone's help.

"I told you guys you didn't have to stay. Rick and I would've done all this tomorrow, but thanks for the help. You know I always appreciate you," Michonne tells them.

"No problem. Thanks for inviting me," Daryl says. "I'll walk you to your car if you're ready, Sasha."

"Yeah, woman. Let me get you safely to your car. Come on," Shane jokes with Andrea.

Rick and Michonne bid their friends good night and as soon as the door is closed, they both start laughing.

"Oh my goodness. Shane was so jealous of Phillip," Michonne laughs.

"I told you all he needed was a taste of his own medicine. I knew as soon as someone else showed interest in Andrea, he'd take a second look," Rick responds.

"I don't know how I feel about this yet, but it sure was entertaining. Did you see Daryl and Sasha? I never would have put those two together," she says.

So, does that mean you never would've put us together either?" He inquires.

"Are you trying to ask me if I have dated a white guy before? The answer is no, but I have thought about it," she answers. "Have you dated a black woman before?"

"No. Guess I never really thought about it, but when I saw you that night, I just had to get to know you," he tells her.

"You got to know me all right," Michonne laughs. "I mostly remember locking eyes with you. You didn't look away, so I didn't look away, then you started walking towards me and it was all over then, especially when you started talking." She tries to mimic Rick's deep southern drawl. "Hi. I'm Rick. Can I buy you a drink?"

Rick laughs loudly. "Is that how I sound? Really?"

"As far as I could tell with all that bumping music," she remembers. "We got in a little conversation. What was it? Atlanta infrastructure and construction….things I had little to no interest in, but it was flowing so I went with it."

"Then it was 80's music because you commented on the rap song that was playing at the time and how 80's music was the best."

"It still is," she reiterates. "You may not think so, but I love it. You know what else I remember about that night?"

"Hmmm?" Rick pulls her into his arms, nuzzling her neck.

"The first time you touched me. We were practically shouting at each other over the music, so you suggested we move to the back of the club. When you put your hand on my back, I almost jumped out of my skin."

They both move to the couch where he lays back with one foot on the floor as she lounges against him, her back to his chest with his arms wrapped around her. They continue to reminisce about the night they met, their first touch, their first kiss, the first time they made love. All that talk only stirs up their passion for one another and they end up making love right there on the couch.

ɣɣɣɣɣɣ

Several weeks have passed and the couple has just come back from a business trip that Michonne had to take to Canada. She convinced Rick to accompany her and they made a mini vacation out of it. She is extremely busy in the office and only notices the time when her assistant walks in to inquire about lunch.

"Oh, thanks for offering, Jeanette, but I'm not hungry right now. I'll see you in an hour or so. Have a good lunch," Michonne suggests.

As Jeanette exits her office, she decides to reach out to Rick. They haven't talked since they parted ways earlier that morning and he has usually called or texted her by now. She dials his cell number and after a few rings, his voice mail picks up. She leaves him a brief message and continues to read over some documents. Two hours pass before she realizes that Rick hasn't returned her call or texted her. She grows a little concerned but acknowledges that he's just busy today.

The time is now 3:40 pm and Michonne is about to call Rick again, her concern a little more evident now. She picks up the phone only to put it back down when he comes waltzing through her door, a bouquet of lavender and red roses in his hand. She is so relieved to see him that she immediately forgets her anxiety as she stands behind her desk, greeting him.

He walks over to her and gives her a sound kiss as he hands her the bouquet.

She accepts with a smile and a thank you. "You had me worried there for a minute. I've been calling and texting you and you didn't answer me. I thought something might be wrong."

"No, I just had to take care of something. Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you," he apologizes.

"It's ok. I just missed talking to you. I'm glad you came to see me," she tells him. Rick doesn't respond and Michonne notices that he seems extremely distracted.

She giggles as Rick drops down to a knee in front of her. She tosses the bouquet on her desk, then plops down in her chair, spreading her legs and pulling Rick in between them. "Oh, I always had a fantasy about getting busy at work, but I don't think that's a good idea, babe."

Rick laughs as he drops his head to her chest, breathing heavily.

Michonne cups his face with her hands, lifting his eyes to hers. "Rick, are you ok? You're sweating."

He brings a hand up to wipe the sweat from his brow. "Yeah, I'm a little nervous right now. You see, I went to Columbus today. That's where I've been."

"Columbus. For what?" She asks.

"I went to see your parents. I needed their permission for something," he replies.

Michonne scoffs. "Permission for what?"

"To ask for your hand in marriage," Rick states.

Her mouth drops open completely and her hands drop to her lap as Rick produces a tiny, square black velvet box and opens it to reveal a sterling silver princess cut diamond engagement ring.

"Will you marry me?"

She is practically speechless as the tears start to stream down her face. She brings a hand up to cover her mouth as she has the sudden urge to scream.

"Baby?" Rick watches her closely, lifting his hand to wipe her tears.

Michonne throws her arms around his neck, hugging him fiercely. Her breath hitches as she whispers in his ear, "Yes."

ɣɣɣɣɣɣ

Epilogue

Five years later, Rick and Michonne are happily married with three children Carl, Andre, and Judith. They reside in Senoia where Michonne owns a private practice. Rick's security business is still thriving although Daryl manages it with little input. Shane is partnering with them now as he has given up the night club and will manage a second location on the outskirts of Atlanta. He is in a long term relationship with Andrea. As for Sasha, she has been Mrs. Daryl Dixon for approximately 3 months.


	7. Baby Can I Hold You Chapter 7

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Baby Can I Hold You

**A/N: At the request of a Guest reviewer. This is inspired by the song Baby Can I Hold You by Tracy Chapman. Hope you enjoy it.**

Scenario I

Rick and Michonne are returning to the prison after a much needed supply run. He puts the truck in park, kills the engine and they both exit to greet everyone. The others are more than happy to see them back safe and sound.

"Everything go ok out there?" Carl inquires.

"We had a pretty good run. A little trouble, but nothing we couldn't handle," Rick states.

Michonne agrees as she grabs her backpack and starts to walk inside. "I'll be right back to help upload."

Rick detains her momentarily. "Hey, I got it. I'll help them unload then I'll be in. Wait for me?"

She agrees and walks inside to her cell.

An hour later, the two of them are in the bathroom, waiting anxiously.

"How long now? " Michonne asks.

"It's only been a minute and a half. Didn't it say 5 minutes?" Rick returns.

She sighs with a little impatience. "I'm going to work on the fence today. The build-up looks pretty big since last week."

"You might want to get some sleep. I know you haven't been sleeping well, so why not just take this time to wind down?" he suggests.

She looks at him pointedly but decides not to argue as she walks over to the counter to check the test.

Rick walks up behind her as she lifts it for the two of them to read. One pink line equals not pregnant.

Michonne brings a hand up to her face, exhaling with extreme relief. She can see that Rick is equally relieved. She tosses the test in the trash, then grabs his hand with a squeeze. "Thank goodness that's over. We'll have to be a lot more careful from now on. I made sure to get another supply of condoms while we were out."

"The condom broke, remember? That's why we just had to take a pregnancy test," Rick seems a little irritated.

Michonne moves closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Well, what would you suggest then? I can try to find some birth control pills, but I told you how sick they made me before, so I had to stop taking them."

Rick grasps her wrists softly, removing her arms from his waist. "I…I told you what happened to Lori. I can't…I won't go through that again, so we might need to scale it down a bit."

"Scale it down? What does that mean?" Michonne steps further back, searching his eyes.

He averts his eyes, unable to meet her gaze as he knows she won't like what he has to say. "It means I think we shouldn't have sex for a while."

She scoffs. "Rick, we're adults. We can handle this. So we had a little scare, but it's fine. You don't have to do this."

The silence grows as he contemplates her words and she waits for his answer. "We'll just talk about it later, ok?"

"Fine. I'll be at the fence," she grabs her katana and brushes past him on her way out.

Rick pinches the bridge of his nose, knowing that he probably just made a mistake but he can't take the risk of getting her pregnant. It was too much for him to manage.

That night, he went to her cell as he normally does, wondering if she would even welcome him after what he said to her earlier. She watches him closely as he makes his way inside, leaning against the wall opposite of her.

"We need to talk," he tells her.

Michonne slowly peels her body from the lower bunk and moves to stand in front of him. "But what if I don't want to talk?" She steps closer to him, reaching up to pull his collar away from his neck. She leans in with a soft kiss to his exposed skin while simultaneously moving her hand down to cup him.

Rick gasps loudly and reaches for her hand to stop her. "I said we need to talk."

"And I said I don't want to." She places her hand at the nape of his neck, pulling his head down to bring his lips to hers, kissing him passionately.

Rick fights with himself for control. A part of him wants to give in so badly, but he remembers the fear he felt with the possibility of Michonne being pregnant and he knows he can't yield. He grabs her hips, almost pulling her to him, but quickly pushes her away, breaking their kiss. "No!" He steps around her and exits the cell.

They last all of two days ignoring each other. It's obvious to everyone around them that they're both miserable.

Rick is wide awake, lying flat on his back in his bunk. He throws an arm across his eyes, trying to summon sleep, but it just won't come. All he can conjure up are images of Michonne…..the way her eyes light up when she smiles, the smoothness of her skin, the perfection that is her body. _Shit. _He rises from his bunk, pacing the small unit with agitation. His hands start to twitch as if they're aching to touch her. _I can't take this anymore._

He slowly exits his cell, making his way to hers. He pushes the curtain aside as he steps in, noticing her sit up immediately at his approach, wiping her cheeks hurriedly._ She's been crying._ He tries to find the right words, but I'm sorry doesn't seem to be enough. All he knows is that he needs her and he can't be without her. He moves to stand in front of her, his eyes searching hers. "I….I need to hold you."

She doesn't hesitate. She stands up and throws her arms around his neck, relief flooding her body when she feels his arms snake around her waist, holding her tightly. She breathes him in like she has been lacking the oxygen she needs to survive. Being in his arms made everything alright. She hasn't slept for the past two days, worrying that she had lost her best friend, her lover, her confidante. _Whatever he wants, I'll do. I just can't be away from him anymore._

Rick doesn't want to let her go….ever. He knows he won't be able to endure another two days like they just had ever again. He realizes that nothing is the same without her. He can't remember ever being this miserable when in a spat or whatever it was they were going through. _Whatever she wants. I need to make her happy._

Michonne speaks softly against his neck as she says, "There are other ways to pleasure each other. We don't have to have sex."

"We'll figure it out," he assures her.

"We will," she returns.

Scenario II

The group is holed up in an old barn temporarily safe from the threat of the outside world of walkers and the coming storm. Rick and Michonne are sitting in front of a small fire, watching Carl and Judith as they sleep. They share a knowing look, assuring each other that they made the right decision and the group will be ok.

Soon, they are joined by Daryl, Carol, and Glenn. Carol observes Rick checking on his kids. "He's going to be ok. He bounces back…more than any of us do." She speaks almost proudly of Carl.

"I used to feel sorry for kids who have to grow up now…in this," Rick begins. "But I think I got it wrong. Growing up is getting used to the world. It's easier for them."

Michonne eyes Rick as she says, "This isn't the world. This isn't it."

Glenn looks over at Maggie who is sleeping a short distance from them, then back to Michonne. "It might be. Might."

"That's giving up," Michonne returns.

"It's reality," Glenn tells her.

Rick recognizes her tone and interjects before she can say more. "Until we see otherwise…." They share a deep look….."this is what we have to live with."

Michonne sighs deeply and moves away from the fire. She needs a moment alone, so she finds a corner in the barn and sits with her back to the wall, contemplating the situation she and her family are currently in.

Rick watches with concern as she walks off. He quickly averts his eyes as Carol, Daryl, and Glenn observe him too closely for his comfort. He slowly continues to encourage them despite their dire circumstances.

Michonne brings her knees up and hugs them to her chest. She sighs deeply as her thoughts run rampant and she tries desperately to hold on to her belief. _This is much harder than I thought it was going to be and it's so different. Being out there alone, I was fine. I guess because I was by myself for so long. Seeing Carl so listless, seeing Judy sweating so profusely her little hair plastered to her head…it's just too much. We have to find food. We need water. How much more of this will we be able to withstand? I'll just have to go further out tomorrow. By myself if I have to. I know I can find something._

Her thoughts are interrupted as she notices Rick making his way to her. She looks up at him, trying to gauge his mood. He looks vulnerable, unsure of what to say or do.

"I'm not angry if that's what you're thinking," she assures him. "They just can't give up. Not now."

"I know. I had a talk with them. We'll be ok. Are you ok?" He looks at her with concern in his eyes.

"I have to be," she returns.

Rick moves to sit beside her. As soon as he's settled, his arm brushes hers and they instinctively shift as the contact affects both of them. He looks over at her, seeing the vulnerability and he wants so bad to make everything alright for her. He tries to think of something to say, but the words get all jumbled up and he knows they won't come out right.

"Hey, can I…..can I hold you?" Rick's voice is a deep whisper.

Michonne doesn't hesitate as she wraps her arms around his waist, burrowing her head against his chest.

Rick wraps his arms around her, relishing in the feel of her in his embrace. They remain like that for a while before they start to witness their family hurrying and rushing to the entrance of the barn. The two immediately follow them only to find everyone pressed against the entryway, fighting to keep a herd of walkers out. Rick and Michonne pile in to add their strength in keeping the threat at bay.

The next day, a newcomer arrives with good news he says. Michonne is hopeful.

Scenario III

"You shoved Carl! I saw you! How could you do that?" Michonne demands of Rick as he lounges on an old mattress on the floor of the house where Deana asked her to place him after his street fight with Pete.

Rick is speechless. Michonne has hardly ever raised her voice to him. It is apparent how upset she is and he is the cause of it.

"Waving a gun around, yelling…..was all that necessary?" She asks. "And now, Glenn thinks you may be exiled. He's checking with Maggie about this meeting Deana has arranged. What are we supposed to do?"

"These people…..they don't know. They don't know what they're doing. I….I had to make a play for this place, take it over if need be, to make it safe for us. You wanted this place, so I had to make it right…for you, for us."

"And this is the solution? Threatening them? We can talk to them, Rick," Michonne suggests.

I….I couldn't tell you about the gun," he admits.

"No, you couldn't," she returns.

"Look, I hit my limit. I screwed up, but I'll talk to them. I will," he assures her.

She sighs heavily as she reaches for her jacket.

"Where are you going?" He asks with concern.

"I need to see what this meeting is about," she returns.

"I thought Glenn was handling that." He stands up quickly to block her exit.

"Well, I'm going to help him." She starts to put the jacket on as Rick reaches for her arm. The contact throws her off balance and she falls against him, taking them both to the mattress.

His arms automatically encase her, holding her and before she knows it, he has flipped her over. She is now flat on her back, cradling Rick between her thighs. He doesn't give her a chance to respond as he tosses her jacket to the side and swoops in to kiss her.

She tries to resist at first, but he thrusts himself against her, eliciting a gasp from her which allows him to delve into her mouth with his tongue. With a groan, she returns the kiss, wrapping her arms around him.

Allowing his desire to rule him, Rick reaches up and cups one of her breasts, giving it a gentle squeeze. He kisses a path from her lips to her cheek to her neck, sucking the skin as he rocks his hips against hers. "I'm sorry," he whispers against her neck. "I'll fix it. I'll make it right."

"You better. Otherwise, I'm gonna hit your ass over the head again," she promises.


	8. It Might Be You Chapter 8

Richonne (Short Love Stories) It Might Be You (Chapter 8)

**A/N: This was written at the request of fellow writer Oreganofox who asked for specific scenes and suggested the song "It Might Be You" by Stephen Bishop. Hope you like it.**

Scenario I

The three of them sit in the car silently. Michonne is in the driver's seat, Rick is riding shot gun and Carl is looking out of the back seat window, watching the outdoor scenery. They are on a much needed supply run for guns and ammunition as a visit from the Governor seems eminent.

Rick decided to bring Michonne along after hearing Merle exclaim how she took on the Governor all by herself and managed to take out one of his eyes with a shard of glass. That only reiterated what he already knew. He wasn't dealing with any ordinary female. There was definitely something about her.

They arrive in Rick's hometown after driving for 2 or 3 hours away from the prison. Exiting the car, they make their way cautiously through what used to be a decent downtown area. They walk the short distance to the sheriff's department where Rick was a deputy.

Disappointment is an understatement to describe the emotion they feel as they walk into an extremely empty gun cage. Rick displays his frustration by running his hands through his hair distractedly. He kicks the cage, shoving his gun back into its holster.

Michonne moves further into the cage, picking up a lone bullet as she continues to look around. "Got any other police stations in town?"

Rick turns to look at her. "I was the police here. Me and a few other guys. It ain't a big town." He sighs heavily. "There's other places to check. There may not be as many guns as were in here, but…."

She interrupts with, "We need as many guns as were in here. Ammo, too."

"Yeah, we do, but right now, I only got a line on a couple. There's a few places out on Main St. Bars, a liquor store. Always had a gun or 2 behind the counter that people didn't know about. I did. I signed the permits. They might still be there," Rick concludes as he contemplates what she may be thinking. "Do you have a problem with that approach?"

She finally gives him her full attention. "No, Rick, I don't have a problem. Would it matter if I did?"

"Hey, if there's something you need to say, then by all means, get it out," he tells her.

She considers him for a few seconds, perusing him just as he is perusing her. "Do you happen to know if there was a National Guard armory or something similar close by? Maybe we should try there as well."

Rick looks at her with something akin to respect. _National Guard armory. She's really thinking. Smart, beautiful, and a fighter_. _What else will I learn about this intriguing woman?_ "Umm….yeah, I think there was one a few miles from here. We can check there after we hit Main St."

She approaches him slowly and hands him the single bullet she located moments earlier.

Carl looks from one adult to the other. _Why are they looking at each other like that?_

Rick reaches out slowly to accept the bullet. Their fingers touch momentarily as he lingers just a second too long. _Her fingers are warm. Lori's hands were always cold._ He swallows visibly as she continues to watch him.

Michonne awards him with a ghost of a smile as she eyes him, then walks off, preparing to exit the building.

Rick watches curiously as she walks by, appreciating her shapely form. _What was that all about? Did she just smile at me?_ He places the bullet in his front shirt pocket as he and Carl follow her out of the station.

Scenario II

The night air is cool as they sit on a couple of logs in front of the small fire after their meager dinner. Carl is persuaded to get some sleep in the abandoned vehicle they found earlier. He offers to help keep watch, but the adults insist on him getting some much needed rest. He quietly watches Michonne and his dad as sleep soon overtakes him and he falls into a comfortable slumber.

"That was one small rabbit," Rick concludes.

"It was something. I've got to hand it to the thing. It traveled well," Michonne returns as she and Rick share a knowing smile.

Rick sighs softly. "Have you noticed? It's all we talk about anymore. Food." He hesitates, then continues with, "I forgot what this feels like."

Michonne agrees. "Me too. I hope we're able to forget again soon."

He nods. "We're close. Just gotta make it through another day." He kicks dirt over the small fire to extinguish it. "Folks there are taking people in. They have to be strong. They have to have a system."

"I wonder if the whole thing's legit," Michonne contributes.

They both start as they hear a twig snap in the woods. Michonne instinctively reaches for her sword as Rick does the same with his gun. Looking in the direction from which the sound came, Rick moves to a standing position, ready to face whatever threat may present itself. He listens intently and is slightly reassured when no additional noise is forthcoming. He returns to a seated position on the log.

He looks to Michonne, picking up their conversation where they left off. "We let people in."

"We did," she agrees. "So did the governor."

They share a look as Rick nods and says, "Yeah, it's one of those thangs we don't get to know until we know. Maybe this place isn't even there anymore."

Michonne scoffs. "Let's hope you're wrong there. We really need a place right now."

"Well, we'll find out in a day or two what Terminus is all about," Rick assures.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to find something to make our own? Like we did with the prison?" Michonne asks.

"That would be ideal, but I don't want to put too much stock into something that may never happen," Rick tells her.

"Pessimistic much?" She jokes.

Rick gives a slight laugh. "Not pessimistic. Just realistic."

"That's one way of looking at it, but I have to believe there's a place for us. Carl deserves a home. I want him to be able to still do kid stuff. That's only fair and if anybody deserves a fair shake, he does. He's been through too much for a kid his age," Michonne states.

Rick listens intently as she speaks lovingly of his son. He watches her, his heart swelling with happiness and something else he doesn't want to identify as he realizes the love she has for his child. "Thank you."

Michonne frowns. "For what?"

"Just for being there. For taking care of Carl…..and me. I know you could've chosen something else, but you didn't and I'm grateful," Rick discloses.

"You don't have to thank me, Rick. I know how you feel," she returns.

"You do?" When she nods, he asks, "How?"

"Because I feel the same way." She smiles as they both continue to stare at each other.

Rick finally averts his eyes, afraid that she can read something in him that he's not ready to reveal.

Scenario III

The church is abuzz with activity as the group works to fortify it. Tyreese and Daryl are taking apart the organ, using the pipes as spikes to surround the church entrance. Sasha has taken an axe to the pews in an effort to make wood planks to board the doors and windows.

The others are outside, boarding up the windows soundly.

Rick and Michonne are working together as he takes a pause to observe Carl.

He turns back to face Michonne. "He wants to go to Atlanta. I can't have that."

"Then you stay. I'll go," she offers.

Rick smirks slightly as he says, "I owe it to Carol."

"We all owe Carol," she returns with a slight smile.

"I owe her more." He looks directly at Michonne, communicating much more without words.

She nods as the two of them return to their work.

An hour later, Michonne is seated in Father Gabriel's office with Rick, Carl, and Judith. She listens quietly as Rick explains to Carl that he will be staying at the church to help Michonne protect his sister and to keep an eye on Father Gabriel.

"But you know I'd be more useful…._we'd_ be more useful going to Atlanta with you," Carl returns.

"You know the city is no place for any of us, let alone your sister. I'm depending on you. So is Michonne," Rick tells him.

"This is Beth, Dad. And Carol. How can I just sit by and do nothing?" Carl asks.

"Protecting your sister is everything, Carl. Remember that," Michonne reminds him.

The teenager drops his head, quietly acknowledging that she is right. They had just gotten Judith back after thinking she had died at the prison. He would do anything to keep her safe. He looks up at his dad. "Michonne is right. I should stay here and protect Judith."

Rick pulls him in for a hug. "Thank you, son."

Carl takes the toddler from his Dad. "I'm gonna take her outside for a little sunshine. She really likes the outdoors."

Rick nods as he watches his children exit the room, Carl closing the door behind them.

He sighs with relief, then looks to Michonne. "He was ready to fight me tooth and nail. I could see it in his eyes. But you speak and he listens. What kind of power are you wielding woman?"

Michonne laughs as she stands to face him. "Carl is a good kid. He knows right from wrong and he loves his little sister more than anything. There's nothing he wouldn't do for her."

"I know that, but my mention of Judy didn't work as well as yours. Something's telling me it might be you and just the way you are with him." Rick concludes.

"A little talent of mine I guess," she smiles.

Rick returns the smile, then grows serious. "Thank you for doing this for me. I'm gonna do my damnedest to make it back to you, but…."

Michonne interrupts him. "You will make it back. I won't accept anything else. You hear me? Besides, we have some unfinished business to attend to."

"Are you talking about what I think you're talking about?" he asks.

"You need a reminder?" She smiles as she places her hand on his chest and slowly leans in to kiss him.

He laughs as he tastes just a hint of chocolate on her luscious lips. "You and Carl been eating stale M&amp;M's again?"

"You know it's one of my weaknesses. Some things I just can't resist." She cups his face as their lips meet again. She savors the taste of him as he slips his tongue inside, sliding it against hers.

Rick wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her closer as his desire for her grows. He groans into her mouth as he turns their bodies, moving her toward the worn and weathered sofa. He lays her down gently and admires her beauty as he removes his gun belt, placing it on the floor. He smiles as he covers her body with his own, resting comfortably between her legs.

She rests her hands at his waist as their lips meet again in an impassioned kiss. Feeling his body grind against hers brings forth a moan from deep within as she can detect just how much he wants her. She hears his sharp intake of breath as they rock against each other, their clothes a barrier yet not hindering them from the pleasure they seek. "I want you so bad, Rick."

"I want you, too." He grasps her hips as he slowly kisses his way to her neck then her chest. He eyes her cleavage as her breasts seem to swell, inviting him in for a taste. He traces her skin with his tongue, mesmerized by the tang and the smoothness.

Michonne reaches between them to unzip her vest and pull her tank top and bra aside, revealing one of her well-rounded, perky breasts. She watches as Rick smiles in satisfaction before dropping his head to pull her nipple into his mouth. She throws her head back, reveling in the way he makes her feel. She places her hand to the back of his head, holding him to her as he suckles, then circles with his tongue, drawing an audible groan.

He leans back, looking into her eyes as they continue to rock against each other, unable to stop even if they wanted to. The sensation was too overwhelming.

Michonne continues to cradle his head as she returns his gaze. "We…we should stop before….oh, oh, right there, yes. That feels so good."

Rick slams his mouth against hers as he increases his rhythm, their bodies moving in unison. Moments later, he feels her stiffen, her body rolling up into his even more as she finds release. He's close, so he continues to move his hips, squeezing her ass as he jerks against her, signaling that he has reached his peak as well. He collapses against her, their breathing uneven and fast.

They laugh as he moves his body to the side, holding her to him. She turns slightly to accommodate him as they take time to permit their breathing to return to normal.

"Did that just happen?" she asks while adjusting her clothes.

"I can't wait until we can do this properly." They share a look and a soft kiss as they continue to hold each other, wanting to keep the outside world at bay for just a little while longer.

Suddenly, there is a knock at the door. "Hey, Rick. You in there? Time to go, man." They recognize the voice as Daryl's, both thankful that he didn't barge in on them.

Rick sighs deeply. "Guess that's our cue." They reluctantly peel their bodies from the sofa, then share another soft meaningful kiss as Rick straps on his gun belt. They exit the office to join Daryl and the others.

Moments later, Rick is saying his goodbyes to Carl, Judith, and Michonne as he prepares to leave for Atlanta with Daryl, Tyreese, Sasha, and Noah. He cradles Judith in his arms, giving her a soft kiss on the head before releasing her to Michonne. He places a hand on Michonne's shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze before turning to Carl to give him a hug.

"I'll be back soon," Rick tells his son.

"I know," Carl returns.

The three of them move towards the entrance/exit. Rick shares one last longing look with Michonne before they close the doors.


	9. Staking A Claim Chapter 9

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Staking A Claim (Chapter 9)

Just as always, his eyes pop open before his alarm is set to go off. He reaches over to set it for the next morning, then remains in bed, contemplating his life and where he is going from here. His plan was to get his family to a safe and secure place and then they could all live and have somewhat of a decent life. He realizes that was a tall order, especially in the world they were living in today, but she made him hopeful, she refused to let him give up. It's because of her that they're here and he just thought once they felt safe enough, he could reveal his true feelings for her and she would reveal how he knew…thought she felt about him and they could be happy. One big happy family.

He scoffs as he sits up and prepares to get out of bed. Rubbing his face absently, he can't help reflecting on what she said to him. _Are you saying what I think you're saying? Well, my answer is going to be no. I love you, but we shouldn't risk ruining what we have._

She said those exact words to him three weeks ago and he replays them in his head each and every day. It's the only way he can function. The only way he can quell down the need to reach out and touch her. The only way he can deny his feelings for her. The only way he can continue to put on a happy face in her presence. All for her to keep her happy and she does appear to be happy, but he is utterly miserable.

He moves into the bathroom to shower and get the day started yet again.

Thirty minutes later, he makes his way downstairs to the kitchen. She is already there with his children, laughing as she prepares their breakfast, engaging Judith effortlessly the entire time.

"Good morning, Father. You'll never guess what Michonne is preparing for us on this fine, delightful morning," Carl informs.

Rick raises his eyebrows. "Who are you and what have you done with my son?"

Carl and Michonne both laugh at Rick's serious but playful question.

"He's practicing proper English he says," Michonne tells Rick. "Just go with it. He'll revert back soon enough."

"So what's the big surprise for breakfast?" Rick asks.

Carl smiles with excitement. "Pancakes. Do you know how long it's been since we had pancakes? Good pancakes?"

Rick nods, refusing to bring up any sad memories at this time, but he can't help but think of Lori and all the attempts she made with pancakes. It will be interesting to see if Michonne knows what she's doing. Of course, he doesn't doubt it. There hasn't been one thing she set her mind to and not mastered. She's amazing that way.

Carl is finishing off his fourth pancake when Rick announces he's leaving for the office. The two of them start gathering their things, preparing for their day. Michonne cradles Judith on her hip as she bids them both a good day. Carl reaches in and gives both her and Judy a hug. Rick kisses the top of Judy's head, then nods at Michonne.

She watches quietly as they leave, acknowledging a small tinge of hurt. Rick hasn't made a move to touch her in almost a month and she hates to admit it, but she misses his touch. He's only respecting her wishes, but she didn't think telling him that they shouldn't be together romantically would ruin what they have. He's different with her now and she's different too. She never put any thought into touching her friend. She just did it, but now she's cautious. She thinks about what it will mean to him if she touches him, so she doesn't. It shouldn't mean anything, but it does. The way they touch means everything. The truth is she loves Rick with every fiber of her being, but she refuses to be vulnerable again. Love makes you vulnerable and as long as she can deny it and deny him, she would be ok. She would keep him and the children safe and they would all be happy.

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Her so called happiness seems to have evaporated like mist in the wind. She didn't think things could get any worse, but boy was she wrong. In just a matter of days, Rick had gotten into an actual street fight with one of the other residents, accusing him of stealing a gun and that same resident ended up as walker bait while on a run that Rick just happened to be part of. People suspected him of foul play and things were not looking good for the Atlanta Group at the Safe Zone right now.

The family could see that something wasn't quite right between her and Rick and they were looking to her to fix it as Rick is in one of his unapproachable moods. Carl is at school and Beth is taking care of Judy at Glenn and Maggie's place.

Michonne walks cautiously to Rick's bedroom and knocks on the door. No answer but she knows he's there, so she turns the knob and walks in, relieved that it wasn't locked. Rick is lying in bed on his back, an arm thrown across his eyes. He looks up as he hears the door open and close, then goes back to his previous position.

This attitude of his frustrates her to no end. She tried to get answers out of him about the latest events, but he has been evasive and closed off. She's not having it today. They are going to hash this out once and for all.

"I'd like you to sit up and look at me while we talk," she informs him.

"If you've come here to talk to me like you're talking to Carl, you can forget it. My mom's been gone for a while now," Rick retorts.

"Rick, what are you doing? This isn't you. Hiding a gun and then accusing that guy of stealing it…." She trails off as Rick sits up to glare at her.

"So you think I'm lying too?" He asks.

Michonne sighs deeply. "No, but why would you hide the gun and why would he steal it?"

"You know what? He's dead now, so it really doesn't matter. You got something else you want to talk about?"

She can detect the anger in him and wonders if some of it is directed at her. "We need to talk about what Deana may be planning. She has banished people before, so….."

"Banish? She's planning on banishing me? On what basis? She has no proof of anything. It's all speculation," he states.

"You fought with him about a gun, you threatened to kill him in front of everybody and just days later, he ends up dead. I know you understand how this looks, so…" Michonne stops as Rick gets up from the bed and walks toward her.

"I don't care how it looks. I told you what happened, so why are we on this again?" He wants to know.

"Because you haven't told me everything," she reminds him.

"Well, let me just go down the list then. Yes, I hid a gun. I hid it as a backup plan just in case this place turned out to be another Terminus. I go back for the gun and it's gone. The very next day, that prick tries to kill Glenn in the woods with the gun. That's how I knew he had it and yes, I wanted him dead. He tried to kill Glenn, so in my mind, he didn't belong here," Rick explains.

"So, what happened on the run?" she asks

"He got eaten by walkers," Rick answers.

Michonne glares at him. "I am so sick of your bullshit. Our lives are at stake here and you act like you don't care."

"Don't worry. You wanted this place. You got it. You got everything you wanted. You'll be just fine. As a matter of fact, another house came open and I think you should take it." He waits for her reaction.

Michonne isn't sure she heard him right. "What?"

"I think you should move out," he reiterates.

"No. I'm not leaving Carl and Judith," she frowns as she tries to comprehend his request. _And you._

"I'm not asking."

"And I'm not leaving."

They continue to glare at each other until Rick finally says, "Fine. Me and the kids will move into the other house."

"Carl and Judith aren't going anywhere and neither are you," Michonne is confident in her statement, ready to go toe to toe with Rick about the children.

"Last I checked I was grown and can do whatever I see fit. Carl and Judith are my children and where I go, they go." Rick is adamant and refuses to back down.

"Why are you trying to hurt me?" She whispers.

"I'm not trying to hurt you. I just want the hurt to stop and if that means letting you go, then that's what I've got to do. I can't live like this anymore," he professes.

"Live like what? We're doing fine. We're happy…..aren't we?" She asks the last part with hesitation, unsure of the truth.

"I'm not happy living under the same roof with you day in and day out, knowing that we'll never be together. I'll accept it but I gotta make this better somehow. I need to be able to function and move on with my life. You want us to be friends, fine, but we gotta do this some other way, not like this" he concludes.

"You want me out of here so you can move on? With who?" Michonne's breathing is labored as she tries to envision Rick with someone else, but she can't.

"I'm not moving on with anybody…..yet." Rick looks at her pointedly. "You've ruined me for anybody else right now, but with time, I'll be able to do it."

"So, just like that you want me out of your life?" She is trying her best to hold the tears at bay. She has screwed up royally this time. _I can't function away from him. Away from the kids._

"We'll never be completely out of each other's lives. I won't deliberately keep you from the kids. I know you love them and they love you. I won't interfere with that," he conveys.

"You….asshole!" she shouts before making a dash for the door.

Rick is there, closing the door right as she gets it open. He reaches for her arm, but she snatches away from him, averting her face.

"Don't touch me! Just let me out of here. You want me gone, I'm gone," she promises.

"Hey, look at me."

She turns her back to him, trying her best to keep it together, but her heart aches more than she ever thought it could. He is going to ruin everything by separating from her. She jumps as she feels his hands on her arms.

"I said don't touch me." She turns around to face him, glaring at him through narrowed eyes.

Rick won't relent. He grips her arms, pulling her against him. "All I want to do is touch you, so tell me how we do this. How can I live here with you, feeling the way I feel, knowing that I can't touch you like I want or kiss you like I want….."

"Stop it. Don't….." She trails off, looking into his eyes, realizing how tangible their feelings are.

"Or what?" He glares back at her, unable to break the eye contact even if he wanted to. She makes the egregious mistake of averting her eyes from his only to look down at his lips. It was all the encouragement he needed.

Rick slams his mouth against hers, moans unconsciously escaping from both of them.

She attempts to pull away but Rick wraps his arms around her, holding her immobile. She can't think like this and she has the overwhelming sensation of floating. _Oh, no. This is so much better than I thought it'd be. _Closing her eyes, she allows herself to drift and bask in the moment, melting into him as she wraps her arms around his waist and finally returns his kiss, giving in as her heart swells with all the love she holds for him.

His head is swimming with elation as he enfolds her in his arms and begins to move his lips against hers. He opens his mouth slightly, tasting her with his tongue, hoping she will open up for him. His pleasure is insurmountable as she responds, opening her mouth fully to accept his tongue as she offers hers. He latches on as if he's starving, the craving for her seizing his entire being.

The kiss seems to go on forever as they can't get enough of the sensation they are collectively experiencing.

Rick pulls back, resting his head against hers. His breathing is elevated as he analyzes his emotions. He can't ever remember feeling this intense, this consumed by someone. "I don't want to walk away, but if you want me to, I will." He waits several moments, giving her an opportunity to say something, anything. When she remains quiet, their shaky breaths the only noise decipherable in the room, Rick releases her and turns toward the door. He feels like his heart is breaking into a million pieces as he reaches for the knob.

Michonne practically tackles him from behind, throwing her arms around his waist, holding him tightly to her. She breaths him in deeply, relishing in all of the emotions that are running rampant through her mind and body. "You're mine. I don't want anybody else. I don't want to live with anybody else. I want you to touch me. I want you to kiss me. I want you to hold me. I want to go to bed with you at night and wake up with you in the morning. I want….."

He turns around, cupping her face in his hands, as he leans in to kiss her tenderly.

"I'm sorry. I do love you. I just thought letting you in would change things between us but you're already here. You've been here all along and I can't lose you. Don't leave me." She lays it all out for him, holding nothing back, placing her heart in his hands. She quivers with emotion, holding to him tightly.

Rick can't express the relief he feels in that moment. It's like he has suddenly been given his life back, his purpose. He wraps her in his arms once again. "I am so in love with you. I'm here. I ain't going anywhere."

"Can we just stay like this? Just a little while longer before we have to deal with all the mess outside," she asks, her face buried in his chest.

"Whatever you want," Rick assures.

"Really? Whatever I want?" She looks at him with those beautiful doe-like eyes, then tiptoes just a bit to whisper in his ear.

His eyes pop at her request then he looks at her and smiles while his cheeks become flushed with redness. _Today is turning out to be a great day._ He thinks to himself as he allows Michonne to lead him to the bed.


	10. Baby Father Mine Chapter 10

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Baby Father Mine (Chapter 10)

**A/N: This story was inspired by the movie Whose Baby starring Andrew Lincoln and Sophie Okonedo. If anyone knows where I can see the entire movie, please let me know. Thanks.**

"I can't believe you would deliberately keep something this important from me," Rick tries to contain his anger as he looks at his ex-girlfriend, Michonne.

She stands before him, allowing him this expression as if she deserves it. "It wasn't deliberate. I made a mistake and when I tried to fix it….well, you had already moved on. You seemed happy and I didn't want to derail any of that."

"My life, my decision. You keeping this from me….it just really hurts. What was your plan? Raise him without me? Tell him I died or something?" Rick wants to know.

Michonne sighs heavily. "I hadn't thought about it really."

"How can you treat this so casually?" He asks.

"I'm not. Look, I know I screwed up and I'm sorry, but I can't change anything. I can't take back what's already happened. If I could make this right, I would. You have to know that." She pleads.

"When did you find out?"

"Six weeks after we broke up," she answers.

"Don't you mean after you dumped me and walked out?" Rick retorts.

She moves over to the living room area to take a seat on the couch. He follows her and sits on the opposite end of the plush furniture.

"I don't know how to make this right. I won't keep you out of your child's life if that's what you're thinking. We can talk about it and come to some sort of agreement. Joint custody if you want." She is trying to be amicable with him because she realizes she is the cause of this non ideal situation. She never meant to cause any strife for him. She didn't plan any of this.

He watches with irritable interest as she burrows down deeper in the couch with a yawn. He frowns with disbelief as her eyes begin to close and she actually nods off. _You have got to be kidding me._

She pops up suddenly, looking around in confusion. "I'm sorry. Did I fall asleep? She sighs. "That's all I do now is sleep and I fall asleep anywhere. It doesn't matter the time or the place."

Rick smiles slightly, taking in her round belly and the changes in her body. "I can come back later if you need me to."

"Thirty minutes. Just give me thirty minutes and I'll be good to go," she requests. She moves slowly as she removes herself from the couch and makes her way to her bedroom to lay down.

Rick scoffs, wondering if he is just supposed to sit there while she sleeps. It's obvious she doesn't care at this particular point. The little one is telling her to sleep, so that's what she is going to do. He can't leave until he knows they have some sort of plan in place. He has to be part of this child's life. He's the father and he can't just pretend like this situation doesn't exist. He takes the time to reflect and remember the relationship he and Michonne once had.

_They met at a New Year's Eve party hosted by some mutual friends. He remembers getting into a debate with her about the judicial system and prison overcrowding and things kind of went from there. He was intrigued by her from the beginning. He asked her out for coffee after the party and that led to another date. After going on several dates, spending time together, and communicating each and every day for over a month, they slept together. The sex was so explosive that they couldn't stay away from each other._

_They dated for well over six months and Rick thought everything was going great. He was in love with her, so it came as a complete shock when she came to his place one Friday night and told him she wasn't in love with him and that it was best if they parted ways. He couldn't believe it. He knew she was career oriented, being a lawyer and all, but he thought they had something special. She told him it just wasn't working for her and she didn't have the time to devote to a serious relationship._

_He tried for several weeks after that to reach out to her, to let her know he was still in love with her, that he would always care for her. She wasn't receptive. It got to the point that she stopped accepting his calls at work, wouldn't answer her cell phone, and screened her calls at home, so he finally got the picture and gave up. Just a month ago, he met someone nice and was trying to build something new._

_Imagine his surprise when his best friend, Shane , called him up to tell him that Michonne was pregnant and Andrea, Michonne's best friend, who put the bug in Shane's ear, was certain Rick was the father. Hence him just showing up unexpectantly at her apartment today. The first thing he noticed was her protruding belly and when he point blank asked her if he was the father, she didn't deny it. Now, he is sitting on her couch, wondering what's going to become of his life. He never planned to co-parent a child. He always thought he'd be happily married when he decided to have kids._

He sighs heavily as the realization hits him. He is going to be a father. He rubs his face absently, still pondering what all of this will mean for him. He hears her stirring around in the back, finally making her way to the living area after several minutes.

"Thanks. I needed that. Now, we're hungry for Chinese food. You wanna come with me?" She offers.

"We need to talk, Michonne."

She agrees. "I know, but whatever this little one wants, he gets." She rubs her belly, then grabs her purse and heads for the door.

Rick follows reluctantly, but ends up driving her to her favorite Chinese restaurant and pays for the meal. They bring the takeout back to her place, so they can finish their much needed talk.

"I know you have a lot to process, so I'll understand if you need to take some time and think all of this through." She relays.

"I just wish….things were different. I always envisioned being married when I brought children into the world." He sounds almost sad.

Michonne feels responsible for his sadness and wants so badly to make it right for him. "I never thought I'd want kids, but when I found out I was pregnant, it was like a light bulb went off and I realized what was really important in my life. I picked up the phone several times to call you, but I didn't know what to say."

"How about Rick I'm pregnant and it's yours?"

"I was afraid. What if you didn't believe me? What if you rejected me like I did you? By the time, I got up the courage to tell you, I found out you had met someone new and I thought it was only fair for me to let you have that chance since I kind of ruined things for us."

Rick looks deeply into her eyes. "You broke my heart, Michonne."

She looks away, not wanting to accept the hurt she caused or the mess she created with her selfishness. The truth is she never stopped loving Rick. She wanted to focus on her career and she didn't know how to do that and be in a meaningful relationship at the same time, so she chose to let the relationship go which was the biggest mistake of her life. When she found out she was pregnant, it made her realize that all she wanted was a life with Rick. She knows now that she should have told him as soon as she found out. Maybe things would be different between them, but what's done is done and you can't go back.

"Rick, I'm sorry. I was selfish. I put my career first and I know now it was the wrong choice. I don't know how we'll figure this out, but we will. It'll be ok. I have a doctor's appointment next week. You're welcome to be there. Can I….share something with you right now?"

He nods, his mind taking in and processing all of this new information. He watches as she slowly leaves the room and returns with a small device that looks like an old portable CD player complete with headphones.

She hands the headphones to him and watches as he puts them on, then she places the round device on her stomach and flips a switch. "Can you hear anything?"

Rick shakes his head no as all he is picking up is a lot of static.

She moves the device around and smiles as Rick puts his finger up, alerting her that he is hearing something. He looks up at her in amazement as he hears the rapid thumping of what can only be his baby's heartbeat.

Tears spring to his eyes as he can't believe what his ears are hearing. The baby's heartbeat. He laughs as this little device makes the unseen so tangible, so real.

Michonne tries not to tear up as she witnesses the happiness on Rick's face. "I have to listen to him every day. Sometimes 5 and 6 times a day, especially right before I go to bed each night. As long as he's ok, I'm ok."

"You keep saying he, so do you know it's a boy?"

"I haven't found out yet. My mom says it's a boy because he's low, he's heavy, and I sleep all the time." She laughs as she shares that information, relieved that he finally knows and that she can freely share this experience with him.

Rick doesn't want to acknowledge the anger that rolls up at the mention of other people knowing about her pregnancy. He's the father and he just found out today. She is six months pregnant. "So, who else knows? Your mom, Andrea, Shane…all of these people knew before me that I was going to be a father. Geez! I have to tell my parents they're going to be grandparents."

Michonne is silent. Just when she thought they were kind of breaking the ice, she reminds him of the fact that she kept this from him.

"I think I should go. Call me with the information about your appointment. I'd like to drive you there if that's ok. Do you…do you need anything before I go?" Rick still wants to take care of her despite his anger.

"No, I'm fine." She accepts the headphones and places the heart monitor on the kitchen bar as she moves toward the door to show him out. "I'll be in touch." She has the overwhelming urge to kiss him, but realizes it would be too much with everything else he has going on. _He still looks so good, so handsome and that body…..Damn, these hormones._ She can't believe she walked away from him.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

They have just left the doctor's office and Rick is so excited to have pictures from the sonogram and the reveal of the baby's gender. They are definitely having a son.

"Have you thought of any names yet?" He asks.

"No, not really. I'm sure we'll come up with something." She tells him.

"Are you hungry?"

"Just sleepy. I should go back to work, but I could really use a nap right now," she informs.

"Well, I'll take you home. You should sleep."

An hour later, Michonne awakes from her nap and moves straight to the refrigerator. She jumps as Rick inquires about her nap. "Oh, I thought you were gone. It was fine except I started dreaming about dancing watermelon."

Rick laughs. "I'm having trouble with that visual."

"They were huge triangles with arms and legs, so I guess that means I need some watermelon." She removes a tray from the frig and starts eating at the counter. "Hmmm….that is so good." She pulls a water bottle from the freezer and takes a long swig. "Good stuff."

Rick moves into the kitchen. "Water is good stuff?"

"Weird, right? I just love it frozen just a bit. It is so good." She continues to eat her fruit as Rick watches.

"Can I ask you something?"

She nods.

"Did you ever love me?" He waits as she looks up at him, placing her fruit back in the tray.

"Rick, I made a mistake when I did what I did. I'm sorry I messed everything up. The truth is….I was in love with you, but I didn't think I could have you and a successful career. I regret that every day. This pregnancy has made me realize what's really important in life. I decided to keep this child because he was conceived in love, because I….I still love his father and I wanted to have a part of you always." She waits for his reaction. When none is forthcoming, she continues. "I understand that you have moved on. I don't know what you'll need from me to help your relationship along, but whatever you need, I'm there."

"So, you were in love with me and you still love me?"

"Yes," she whispers. "I don't want to cause you any more trouble. I just wanted to be honest, so we can kind of rebuild our relationship and get a fresh start for the little one here." She rubs her belly, smiling.

Rick closes the distance between them. "I don't want to cause you any trouble, but I never stopped loving you. When I told you that I would always love you, always care for you….I meant it with everything that I am."

Tears begin to stream down her face as she basks in his words. "What about your relationship?"

"Let me worry about that. She's a good person, but I know where my heart is. You just need to be 100% sure this time. There's no going back." He smiles as he gently wipes her tears away and leans in to kiss her tenderly on the lips.

"I love you. I never stopped loving you. I know what I want now, what I need. It's been you all along," she confesses.

Rick pulls her into his arms, hugging her to him. She returns the embrace, eagerly.

"I missed you so much," he admits.

"I missed you, too." She starts to cry she is so happy to have him back in her life.

He leans back, taking in her beautiful smile despite her tears. He kisses her softly then steps back as she gasps and grabs her stomach.

"You alright?"

"He's kicking." She takes his hand and places it on her stomach. Rick laughs as he feels the movement of his son.


	11. Friend Zone Chapter 11

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Friend Zone (Chapter 11)

"So, you really want to do this?" Michonne asks, looking at Rick as he lounges on the couch.

"Don't you?" He asks.

"Yes. I guess I'm just afraid of the unknown but if we agree that this will be a one-time thing then we should be ok, right?" She offers.

"We're adults. We know what we want and what's best for us, so we're doing the right thang. We get rid of the tension and everything's fine." Rick is sure of their plan.

"Friday night good for you? Maggie will take the kids so we'll have all night." Michonne can barely contain her excitement. She's not sure if their plan will work, but she was willing to give it a try.

Rick smiles. "Friday night it is."

Friday night arrives and their plans are falling into place. Maggie and Glenn are taking care of Carl and Judith for the night, so Michonne and Rick have the house to themselves and the remainder of the night is theirs to do whatever they want.

They decided to treat their decision like a date, both trying to recreate something they may have done before the world turned into a cesspool. Rick is wearing his best dress shirt with a pair of khakis Michonne insisted he take since she found them on a run and thought it was something he needed. She also found him a new pair of boots, but he's so used to his old ones that he has yet to wear the new pair.

She is dressed in a nice, form fitting dress with capped sleeves. She decided to put her hair up in a bun as Rick has only seen it like that once before. She smiles as they meet in the hallway, him emerging from his room across the hall just as she is emerging from hers. Their dinner date is set for 7 pm and they are both prompt.

He offers her his arm, complimenting her beauty. She loops her arm with his, commenting on how nice he looks as they descend the stairs to the kitchen area.

"It would be so nice if we had someone to serve us. I think it would feel more like a real date then," she observes.

"This is just fine."

Michonne prepared everything beforehand, so all they had to do was set up in the dining area and start eating. Rick is most helpful as they both set the table and he pours the wine. Moments later, they are seated and eating as the conversation begins to flow.

They talk about the usual things….Carl and Judith, adjusting to their new life in the safe zone, things happening outside the walls. Moments later, they both observe each other's plates, realizing that they've been doing more talking than eating.

"Can I be honest?" Michonne begins.

"Always." Rick tells her.

"It's kind of hard pretending like I'm interested in eating this food and talking about the safe zone when all I want to do is kiss you." She smiles as Rick actually blushes.

"Since we're being honest….I can't wait to see what you have on underneath that dress. You know, we can always eat later," he suggests.

They both place their napkins over their plates, push their chairs back and meet by the side of the table facing the kitchen area.

Their eyes searching one another, both unbelieving that this moment is going to happen between them. He leans forward and kisses her lightly. Michonne exhales as she opens her mouth to get a better taste of him, stepping closer.

He wraps his arms around her waist as their kiss deepens and he starts to explore her mouth with his tongue, tilting his head at an angle. He feels her hands as they snake around to his back, pressing him to her. He can't wait to kiss her all over, but he knows he has to make a suggestion first.

He pulls back from their kiss to look into her eyes. "Michonne, it's been a while for me, so this first one may be a little quick. I'm going to satisfy you if it takes all night, but I gotta be up front about this."

"It's ok. It's been a while for me, too. If it's ok with you, I say let's just get this first one out of the way before we explode."

That was all the encouragement Rick needed as he grabs her hand, walking towards the staircase. He looks back as Michonne detains him. She turns her back to him and points toward her zipper. She closes her eyes as Rick places one hand at her hip while the other slowly lowers her zipper. She wiggles out of her dress, allowing it to drop to the floor, revealing a lacy bra and panties set. She is more than satisfied when she faces him again to see his eyes glued to her body.

He swallows visibly as she starts to unbutton his shirt, leaving it on and open, revealing his chest. Her hand grazes him lightly as she unbuckles his pants, pushing them down until they pool around his ankles. He steps out of them as she takes his hand and leads him into the kitchen.

She is smooth and quiet as she jumps onto the kitchen counter, spreading her legs and pulling him in between them. She starts to kiss him again and Rick shudders as she grabs his hand and places it at her core. "I'm so ready for you."

He moves a finger inside her panties and groans when he encounters her moisture. "I can't wait any longer."

"Then don't."

He doesn't take the time to remove his underwear or hers. He grasps his manhood through the slit of his boxers, moves her panties to the side and dives in. He feels her breath on his ear as she gasps with his entry, bringing her knees up to his waist.

"Oh, Rick….yes, I've wanted you for so long," she confesses.

Rick is speechless as her tightness envelopes him unlike anything he has felt before. He doesn't move, just drops his head to her shoulder, afraid he will explode at any second. He silently coaches himself, trying his best to hold on as he doesn't want the appearance of an untried youth.

"Are you ok?" She asks, wondering why he hasn't moved.

He pulls back, looking into her eyes as words continue to fail him.

Michonne gives him a sweet smile as she understands everything he is feeling with just a deep look shared between them. She places a hand on his cheek as she brings her lips to his, kissing him as she moves her hips against him.

He gives in as he knows what she wants. He begins to move with her, reveling in their intimacy. Not long after that, he feels his body ready to explode. "I can't...hold out…any longer. I…just…can't."

"It's ok. Just don't stop moving. Keep moving. I'm….almost…..oooh, yes, I'm there. I'm there." She breathes heavily as they rock against each other and she feels Rick's release, his member pulsating inside of her just as she begins to fall apart with her own orgasm.

Their breathing slowly comes back to normal as they share a look and both reward each other with goofy, love struck smiles.

"That was amazing." Rick is in total awe of his friend, never knowing that making love with her would be so incredible. He knew he would enjoy it but nothing in his imagination even came close to what he just experienced and they hadn't even truly explored each other yet.

Michonne runs her fingers through his curls, nodding her head in agreement. "Yes, it was." She bites her bottom lip, watching him with much appreciation in her eyes. "How long before round 2?"

He laughs as he lifts her from the counter, her legs automatically circling his waist, and moves up the stairs to her bedroom where they stay for the remainder of the night.

The next morning, Michonne is sore from all the loving Rick gave her the night before and well into the am hours, but she doesn't utter one complaint as he is moving in and out slowly from behind. _This man is a beast_, she thinks to herself. She also realizes that they have already broken their agreement. They agreed on one night of passion and it is clearly the next day as the sun is shining brightly and gleamingly through the curtain panels.

She relents and decides to savor the moment as she knows she won't get this from him again. She gasps as he reaches down to her core, fingering her expertly, knowing that he can drive her to an orgasm with his touch alone. She can't remain on her knees as her body erupts for the 10th time. She can't be sure as she lost count after her fifth orgasm. She collapses onto her stomach, gasping with every thrust as Rick only followed her down, never breaking their connection.

He groans with every push, unable to believe that each time is better than the last. He drives in one final time, his hips rocking against her as his body shatters with his release. Eventually, he moves to the side of her, hating to disconnect their bodies as her warmth is beyond description. He cradles her back to his front, trying to catch his breath.

She turns to face him. "So, we're ok, right? We can just go back to normal after this?"

He looks away as the injustice of what he agreed upon comes to the forefront of his mind. "Yeah. Just like we agreed."

Two weeks have passed and it has been business as usual in the Grimes' home. Rick and Michonne have kept to their agreement, although secretly they both want to have sex again. They just don't voice it as they are both sure that the other wants to stick to their agreed upon plan to remain in the friend zone.

Rick's eyes pop open as he awakes from another erotic dream featuring Michonne. He groans loudly as his body is screaming for release. A release he knows he can achieve on his own, but can't help thinking how much better it would feel buried in her warmth. _Why the hell did I ever agree to this freaking plan_ he asks himself. _Because it's what she wanted and I always give her what she wants_ he answers himself.

Unbeknownst to him, Michonne is having a restless night as well. She sighs heavily, considering the use of her hand to pleasure herself, but that isn't working for her at this point. She needs Rick. She just doesn't know how to go about broaching the subject with him. She should've known that this would blow up in her face. She even thought about possibly showing interest in someone else, but someone else isn't who she wants. She can now freely admit to herself that her heart belongs to Rick Grimes.

The following week, the two of them are riding along with Sasha, Bob, Maggie, and Glenn on a much needed supply run. They usually don't go on runs together as they agreed a long time ago that one of them would stay behind to ensure that the kids would have one of them in case anything ever went wrong. It may be a morbid way of thinking, but it was their reality. The two of them recognized a certain need in the other as their reasoning for going on the run is two-fold. First and foremost, the supplies are needed and secondly, they both have some pent up frustration to release. What better way than going on a run and possibly encountering some walkers that need dispensing.

They come upon the first small town they need to inspect for the supplies they need. The couples branch off separately to cover more ground in less time. They agree to meet back at the van in one hour.

Rick and Michonne first visit what appears to be a former convenience store. A lot of items have been picked over as it looks like the place has been hit a couple of times, but they find some things that may be useful. Michonne is pleasantly surprised to find what few books they had seemed to be intact, so she starts perusing them, looking for something that both she and Carl will enjoy.

Rick observes her from a short distance away. He can't help checking her out as he is completely enthralled by her. He admires her profile, taking in her long lashes, framing beautiful doe-like eyes that he continuously gets lost in, her pert nose, her luscious lips. She smiles as something she is reading amuses her, revealing impressive white teeth. She's wearing her vest with a purple tank underneath, her toned arms exposed for his perusal. His eyes travel to the curve of her breasts, her tiny waist, the sliver of skin on display right above her studded belt. Her black pants hug her curves in all the right places, tightly encasing her perfectly rounded ass, her thighs, her calves. He licks his lips and closes his eyes as he feels the sweat pouring down his face. He shakes his head to clear it and quickly returns his concentration to the task at hand.

Michonne tosses the last book in her bag and moves off in search of more supplies. She comes up on the feminine hygiene section and almost groans as her eyes hone in on a box of condoms. That only prompts her to seek out her object of desire…Rick Grimes. She zeroes in on him at the front of the store, checking the outside to ensure things are still clear. He's wearing that ratty tight brown t-shirt she loves so much and his black jeans. Her eyes focus on the back of his curly head, wanting so badly to run her fingers through his hair. She moves down to his broad back, his lean waist, his barely there tush, but she knows what's underneath and isn't disappointed in the slightest. He turns around at that precise moment and her eyes take in the slight bulge at the front of his pants. She doesn't even care that he has caught her staring as her eyes appreciate how his gun belt drapes his waist, python on one side, machete on the other. She travels upward to his flat stomach, his pecs as they seem to stand at attention just for her, his neck, his lips, his nose, and finally those deep blue eyes.

They both recognize the hunger in the other and Rick refuses to hold back anymore. He starts to walk toward her, slowly.

She flinches as she takes in his bowlegged gait and his narrow hips. She drops the bags in her hands as Rick arrives to stand directly in front of her. They continue to stare at each other intensely before Rick closes the slight distance between them by pulling her in for a kiss.

Her body floods with passion as Rick delves inside with his tongue. She moans as she wraps her arms around his neck and surrenders everything to the kiss.

Rick can't help but do what he has been itching to do for weeks. He grabs her ass and grinds against her, never breaking their kiss. He groans as he feels his body awakening, his jeans getting tighter and tighter. He breaks the kiss to gain some control over his reaction to her. "We can't. Not here. Not now."

Michonne takes a step back from him, needing the space to pull herself together. "I know. The mission comes first, but just so we're clear. This agreement is done for, right?"

"What agreement?" He asks with a small tilt of his head and a smile.

She returns the smile. "In that case, my room tonight as soon as Carl and Judith are asleep."

They meet the others back at the van at the allotted time and move on to their next location.

Later that night, Michonne is beyond aroused as she recalls what she and Rick shared weeks ago, knowing they would be making love again. She spends a full ten minutes debating on whether to greet him completely nude or in a cute skimpy nightie. Her sense of propriety wins out and she decides to put on the nightie.

Disbelief accurately describes her expression as she is awaken by Rick caressing her arm. _I fell asleep_ she thinks to herself. _I guess the excitement and today's activities exhausted me more than I thought_.

"Hey, if you need to rest, we can…" He laughs as Michonne pops up.

"No, I'm fine. Really," she assures him.

"In that case, can I do what I've been dreaming about for the last three weeks?"

She nods slowly anticipating what he has in mind. She gasps as his hands circle her ankles gently, pulling her to the edge of the bed. He groans as her nightie rides up to reveal that she is completely nude underneath. His hands move up to her thighs, spreading them as he goes down on his knees. His eyes feast upon her hungrily as he lowers his head and starts to pleasure her with his tongue.

Over an hour later, they are lying in each other's arms, content and satiated. She laces her fingers with his and kisses his chest softly. She can't recall ever feeling this happy with anyone, especially with the consideration of what was awaiting them outside the safety of the Safe Zone's walls.

"So what does this mean for us?" He asks. "We can't say we're just friends anymore. This is much more than that. At least it is for me."

"Me, too." She agrees. "Were we just fooling ourselves when we said we'd get it out of our systems and go back to being friends?"

"I guess so. I should've known that wasn't going to work, but I had only one thing on my mind and that obviously wasn't the best time to be making decisions about us."

Michonne laughs as she is in total agreement with his assessment.

"I wanted to deny it, but I guess there's no point anymore." Their eyes connect, his cool blue to her warm brown. "I'm in love with you, Michonne. I don't know when. I don't know where. I just woke up and realized it one day. I'll understand if you don't feel the same way. I'm willing to wait if that's what it takes. I want you in my life in all ways."

"You don't have to wait. I'm in love with you, too. Have been for a while. Just wasn't sure how you felt exactly or maybe I was in denial as well." She bites her bottom lip nervously. "I can't imagine my life without you. Not now, so it's good that we're on the same page."

Rick nods in agreement before giving her a soft gentle kiss and whispering "Good night." She bids him good night as well, both so content to be together that it's only minutes before they are both sound asleep.


	12. The Digits Chapter 12

Richonne (Short Love Stories) The Digits (Chapter 12)

**A/N: Please forgive me for any typos, any grammatical errors as I was truly distracted while writing about this man's hands. This story is dedicated to alex3-11-13, shipnation, and cake-by-thepound.**

Michonne hopes she's not being too obvious as she observes Rick giving orders to the men and women of the Safe Zone. Several of them have been recruited to help fortify the walls and dig trenches around those walls. It's all in defense of their new safe haven. The trenches will ensure that any walkers rambling up to the gates will stumble into the trench and be readily disposed of. Tyreese and Bob thought of it and Rick commended them on a well thought out plan.

She knows she's supposed to be doing something, but watching him bark out orders, his goal to get as much done as possible before they lose the daylight, is turning her on. The way he walks, those bowed legs encased in those jeans, drawing her attention for the 100th time. She watches as he raises his hands, explaining something to Daryl regarding the tower. Those lean, but strong and capable hands with the long fingers that she can just imagine herself….

"Pretty busy today, huh?"

Michonne jumps as Tara appears at her side. _Geez I'm slipping. I gotta do better_. "Yeah, they're trying to get those trenches dug around the entire community, so it's a pretty big job."

"The way your boo is handling them I'm sure they'll be done by the end of the week." Tara smiles as Michonne looks at her.

"My what?" She asks.

"Your boo. Everybody knows about you and Rick," Tara explains.

"And just what does everybody think they know?" Michonne returns.

"That you two have the hots for each other." Tara wiggles her eyebrows as she playfully elbows Michonne.

"Don't go starting rumors, Tara. Rick and I are just….friends. Really good friends," Michonne says.

"Yeah, ok. If you say so." Tara moves off, deciding to check with Rick to see where she is needed.

Michonne realizes that it's almost lunch time, so she makes her way home as she and Rick like to take this meal together when they are able. She leisurely prepares a couple of sandwiches and patiently waits for him to come through the front door. Carl is at school and Judith is at the makeshift daycare that Beth and Rosita are trying to pull together.

She smiles as she hears the front door open and close and the telltale click of the lock. Her anticipation is at an all-time high as Rick rounds the corner, a smile already plastered on his face.

"Do we get the entire hour today?" She asks.

"We can take two if we need it." He walks over to her and plants a kiss on her cheek while pulling her into his arms.

"Two hours? I wish. The entire community would be at the door, wondering where you are if you disappear for two hours," Michonne retorts.

"Ok. An hour it is then. Are we gonna waste it talking?" He lifts his eyebrows with the question.

Michonne laughs as she grabs his hand and they rush upstairs to her bedroom.

As soon as the door is closed and locked, she pulls Rick in for a passionate kiss, running her fingers through his hair, groaning as he pushes his tongue in her mouth.

Rick grabs her ass with a squeeze as he hungrily moves from her lips to latch on to her neck, placing small kisses and bites as he makes his way to her collarbone and shoulder.

Michonne grabs his ass in response and whispers in his ear. "I've been daydreaming about you all morning." She drops a hand to his package and caresses him gently through his jeans. "I never get enough of you."

Rick smiles, happy to know that he has a little power over her even if it doesn't compare to the power she has over him. He starts moving toward the bed, guiding her backward with his body. Her legs encounter the foot of the bed and he gives her a soft push, watching as she lands with an "umpfh". He reaches down and starts unbuckling her belt as she unzips her vest. In record time, she is spread before him in nothing but a purple bra and panties set. He unbuttons his shirt and hisses as Michonne's mouth comes into contact with his stomach.

Removing his shirt, he looks down as she is sitting up on the bed and tonguing his flesh as if he tastes like her favorite candy. His breathing is uneven and fast as his body is thrown into full arousal. He brings his hands to her shoulders, caressing her and relishing in the softness of her skin. He cups her face in his hands and bends down to capture her mouth with his.

Michonne groans loudly as Rick nibbles softly on her lips, then suckles her tongue, pulling it into his mouth as his hands travel to her breasts. She moves back slowly, grabbing his belt to pull him with her as she lounges back on the bed.

He continues to caress her breasts, covering both with his hands as he squeezes them and fingers her nipples through the material. He reaches behind her and unhooks her bra in one try as he has become somewhat of an expert at removing her clothes. His eyes glaze with desire as he zeroes in on her full, luscious breasts. He lowers his head to take one erect nipple into his mouth as he caresses the other with his hand.

Michonne is in heaven as Rick never fails to satisfy her in bed. She notices one long fingered hand kneading her breast and can't help herself as she grasps that hand with her own, pulling the member up to her face where she proceeds to suck on his fingers one at a time.

Rick's mind is practically blown as he stops what he's doing to witness Michonne taking his fingers into her mouth. He has never in his life had a woman suck on his fingers and damn she is turning him on more than ever.

She switches to the other hand to mimic the ministrations done to the first, guiding that first hand down to her womanly core. She rocks against him, holding his wrist, guiding him.

Rick snaps out of his brief trance and moves up on his knees, hooking his fingers into her panties and slowly pulling them down her legs to remove them. He looks eagerly at her glistening flesh, knowing that she is more than ready for him. "Tell me what you want."

Michonne rolls her hips as she spreads her legs for him. "You know what I want."

His lips turn up slowly into a smile. "Yeah, I know. I just like to hear you say it."

"I want your nice long fingers in me, fucking me until I scream your name," Michonne says breathlessly.

Rick doesn't hesitate to oblige her. He decides to give her a little show first as he stands up to remove his pants. He loves the way her eyes light up and dance at the sight of him, how she licks her lips like she just wants to gobble him up. He has never felt more wanted and desired in his life.

Michonne gasps in surprise as Rick places his hands at her hips and turns her toward him at the side of the bed, pulling her to the edge. He drops to his knees, teasing and nibbling his way up her thighs to her core, tonguing her as he fingers her opening.

"Please." Michonne begs as she lifts her hips, meeting his tongue and wanting to feel his fingers slip inside.

He takes her to the very edge, temporarily satisfied with the way her body is quivering. He admires everything about her figure as he starts kissing his way up to her stomach, her breasts, her neck. He lays down beside her, willing her eyes to meet his.

She looks over at him and hisses as he cups her sex and inserts one long digit. "Oh…" She closes her eyes, reveling in the way he makes her feel.

"Hey, look at me," Rick requests.

Michonne is such putty in his hands at this point that she is willing and ready to give him anything he wants. She opens her eyes, meeting his again, moving her hips as encouragement for him to move his hand.

He holds her gaze as he inserts another digit and starts to slowly move in and out, wanting to watch as she shatters with her orgasm. He loves the roll of her hips as she meets the thrusts of his hand, trying her best to keep her eyes on his. He goes in for the kill as he pulls a nipple into his mouth, suckling her as he pushes his fingers inside over and over again, the heel of his hand pressing against her sweet spot.

Michonne shrieks loudly as her body feels like it's shattering into tiny pieces. "Dammit, Rick!" She collapses back onto the bed, breathless and satisfied. "How can I go back to work after this?"

"We ain't done just yet," Rick reminds her.

She can't help it as she takes a look at his manhood, ready and waiting at full attention.

"I don't even get a teeny tiny break?" She asks

"You're done taking breaks. Remember?" He wraps an arm around her waist to align her body horizontally to his and enters her with one long sure stroke.


	13. Part of the Package Chapter 13

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Part of the Package (Chapter 13)

**A/N: Another request from fellow writer, Oreganofox. Thanks so much for your confidence in me to bring these prompts to fruition. Hope you enjoy!**

Scenario I

Michonne is galloping away from the prison in search of the Governor once again. She knows Daryl and especially Rick don't like it, but she realizes he's out there somewhere and she can't rest, can't be free until she is certain of his death.

She is unexpectedly startled by the sound of gunfire. She pulls on the reins to bring Flame to a stop, looking back over her shoulder, assured that the shots were fired inside the prison. She turns Flame around and heads back immediately.

Meanwhile, Rick and Carl were working in the pig pen and heard the gunfire as well. Before he can give Carl instructions, the teenager goes running off to ensure that Judith is safe. Rick is about to hurry in the same direction when he hears Michonne's telltale whistle. She has doubled back to the prison as she probably heard the shots. He is torn between rushing in to help those inside or racing out to open the gates. Michonne wins as he tears down the hill and opens the gate just as she arrives. He is busy closing the gates as he watches her dismount and is immediately encircled by two walkers who managed to get past the open gates.

He swats Flame on her flank to get her inside and out of his way as his heart sinks when he witnesses Michonne go down with a walker on top of her. "Shit!"

Maggie bursts out of the tower and yells, "Rick! The gun!"

He notices the rifle by the front gate, grabs it and fires, hitting one of the walkers square in the forehead.

Michonne is still struggling with the other walker but before he can take aim, she plants her foot in the walker's stomach and flips it over onto one of the spikes by the gate. He hears her scream of agony as he rushes to her in a panic.

"Michonne! You alright? Bit? Scratched?" He inquires anxiously.

"My ankle. Just my ankle," she answers, grimacing in pain.

"Come on. Let's get you inside." He puts the gun aside and helps her to her feet, allowing her to put most of her weight on him as he guides her through the second gate. Flame is standing there, waiting patiently, so Rick lifts Michonne onto her horse and guides them up the hill.

"What's happening in there?" Michonne asks.

"I don't know. I'll find out as soon as I take care of you."

"Just go. I'll be fine," she returns.

"No, you won't. You can barely walk. Now, let me get you inside. No arguments," Rick softly demands.

Ten minutes later, they are in his cell as they reached his before hers and she is seated on the lower bunk as Rick searches the room, trying to find something to bandage up her ankle.

"Something's bad going on in that cell block and you need to find out what it is. No need to waste your time with me. It was stupid what you did, coming out there to save me, using that gun when you didn't want to. When I fell on my ass, you should've left me there," Michonne tells him.

Rick halts his actions to take a long look at her. "Did you hear yourself just now? You telling me you got a death wish? Is that why you keep running off looking for the Governor? Are you hoping that you find him so maybe he kills you instead of you killing him?"

She is silent as Rick is more accurate than she cares to admit. They continue to search each other's eyes before Michonne finally looks away. She is afraid that he'll see the truth if she allows him to keep probing.

"I won't push but I know there's plenty you're not telling me. All I can say is whatever happened out there, in here, we…we can't change it. I know that's hard to accept, but what choice do we have? You're here, you're alive. Doesn't that mean something to you?"

"Why should it when…." She trails off as she realizes what she was about to share with him.

"When what, Michonne? Hmmm?" He prompts.

She shakes her head as she feels tears begin to well. Her body instantly tenses and she cuts those feelings off. She can't afford to be weak, not any more.

"I just don't want you putting yourself in harm's way because of me. Carl and Judith need you. They need their father," she reminds him.

He nods as he sits in front of her, gently removing the boot and sock from her injured foot, so he can wrap her ankle. "I know. You're right. They're my world and whether you believe it or not, you're part of that world now. I want you here where you'll be safe. We all care about you."

She refuses to meet his gaze as she struggles against the words he just uttered to her. _How can they care about me after everything I've done?_

"Daryl was right to stop looking. He said the trail went cold. You should remember that before you go racing off to Macon," Rick offers.

She reluctantly looks up to meet his eyes again. "Well, you've got your wish for a little while. I won't be going anywhere with an injured ankle."

He gives a slight smile. "I've never been so happy about somebody getting hurt."

Michonne gasps and shakes her head at Rick's attempt at another joke. He loves joking with her for some reason.

"Hey, I don't mean to pressure you, but I do worry about you while you're out there by yourself. It's too dangerous. I lose way too much sleep when you're not here." He softly caresses her injured ankle as he has just completed wrapping it. He quietly takes a pillow and places it under her foot as she lounges back in the bunk.

Michonne has to close her eyes and pretend to rest as she doesn't want to give away just how much Rick's innocent caress affected her.

"Maybe Herschel should take a look at your ankle. He'll know what else to do to help you heal faster." He watches her closely, relieved that she's ok and resting in his bunk. "Hey." He waits for her to open her eyes and acknowledge him. "I'll let you know what I find out about cellblock D."

They share one last meaningful look before Rick exits the cell.

Scenario II

The sun is just peaking over the horizon, shining brightly with hues of orange and yellow as Michonne makes her way outside into the courtyard of the prison. She takes a moment to appreciate the beautiful sight, giving thanks for being granted another opportunity to do so.

Only a few weeks ago, glancing at the sun rise was the furthest thing from her mind. Being injured, spending more time with Carl and his father has prompted her to re-evaluate her life and the reason she was so intent on finding the Governor. Listening to Daryl throw subtle and not so subtle hints about her "running off" only served to help her realize that home was where she was needed.

A slight smile crosses her lips as she reflects on her relationship with the Grimes family. She realizes she needs more time with Judith which is something she plans to do, but she can actually hold her now. She doesn't cringe when Judith cries or when she reaches for her. That was one of the most surprising moments in her life when Judith reached for her that first time. She couldn't deny her. The sweetness of cradling her, stroking her cheeks and her hair almost overwhelmed her, but she held the memories at bay and enjoyed the affection little Judith gave so freely and unknowingly.

She has such admiration for Carl. Being a child growing up in today's world had to be one of the hardest feats to endure, but he was doing it. Of course, he didn't have much choice, but the way that child handled a gun always served to amaze her. She recognized a sadness in him early on and also the weight of the guilt he carried for having to put his mom down. That kindred sadness only made her gravitate to him more, wanting and needing to bring a little laughter into his life. Once they discovered their shared love for chocolate, comic books, and super heroes, the friendship grew by leaps and bounds.

As for the children's father, her emotions are all over the place when it comes to Rick Grimes. They're friends, but maybe more. They stay up all hours of the night when they really should be sleeping, talking about movies, sports, life at the prison, weapons, new ways to kill walkers. She feels at ease with him and for some strange reason he makes her feel better about her life and the circumstances she finds herself in. Just like with Carl, she sensed a sadness about him as well as feelings of guilt. She blushes as she remembers where she left him. He was asleep in her bed as they were up late again talking and both of them must have fallen asleep. When she opened her eyes that morning and saw him beside her, looking so peaceful she couldn't resist. She placed a soft, light kiss on his cheek and removed herself from the bunk, quietly, to get her day started.

Unbeknownst to her, as soon as she exited the cell, Rick's eyes popped open. He moves over into the space she vacated, relishing in the warmth she left behind. He closes his eyes and briefly recalls her lips on his cheek. He has been on a tailspin for the last week or so, maybe longer, trying to figure out how Michonne feels about him. He doesn't know what the kiss proves, but he's not about to let the opportunity slip away. He gathers up his courage and leaves the cell. He takes time to clean up and put on a fresh shirt before he goes in search of her.

She is still sitting in the courtyard when he finds her. She looks back at him with a smile. "Looks like you caught me. Yes, I'm being lazy for just a moment."

He gives her a slight smile as he walks over to her and offers her his hand.

Michonne looks up at him, curiously, but doesn't hesitate as she takes his hand, allowing him to lead her inside to a secluded hallway that leads to the laundry area. Her heart beats erratically as Rick inches closer and closer to her.

He searches her eyes intently, looking for any sign that she is offended by his closeness. "You didn't wake me."

"No, you looked so peaceful and I know you need the rest," she returns.

"Problem with that is, I was only half asleep…." He trails off as he detects the recognition of his admission in her eyes. He swallows visibly, his nervousness palpable. "Did you mean it?"

"Yes," she whispers softly, looking at him with expectancy.

Rick closes his eyes as relief floods his body. He brings a hand up to cup her face as his eyes find hers again. "Then I mean this, too." He leans in and places a soft kiss to her lips, pulling back slightly, giving her the opportunity to back away if that's what she wants. When she remains rooted to her spot, he leans in for another soft kiss and another one after that.

Michonne tentatively places a hand on his shoulder, gently pulling him toward her as she returns his kiss. Her back encounters the wall as Rick presses even closer to her, deepening their connection. She shudders when he slightly opens his mouth and tastes her with his tongue. She welcomes him wholeheartedly as she opens her mouth and returns the favor.

Moments later, they pull apart and share another longing gaze. Michonne wraps her arms around him, embracing him and relishing in emotions she hasn't felt in a long time. Rick returns her embrace, holding her to him tightly. They pull apart as the noise of activity drifts to them. The prison is coming to life as everyone is starting to wake up and mill about.

"I guess we should get to work," Michonne suggests.

Rick gives her one last squeeze before taking her hand and leading them back to the courtyard.

Hours later, Rick is staring in disbelief as the Governor is standing on a parked tank outside the prison's fences. He has several people with him and is demanding that Rick come down and talk with him.

Rick lets him know that he doesn't make decisions anymore, that a council runs the prison.

"Is Herschel on the council?" The Governor asks as two of his men pull Herschel from one of the cars and forces him to his knees in front of the tank.

Rick's heart seems to skip a beat and drop as he recalls Herschel and Michonne exiting the prison to dispose of the walker bodies that he and Carl killed a couple of days ago. He even offered to go with them, but Michonne refused and told him not to veer from his routine.

"What about Michonne? She on the council too?" The Governor motions for his men to place Michonne at Herschel's side.

Carl and Daryl look to Rick, realizing how upset he must be at seeing Herschel and Michonne held hostage by the Governor.

"I don't make decisions anymore!" Rick repeats, visibly shaken by the sight before him.

"You're making the decisions today, Rick. Come on down. Let's have that talk," The Governor demands.

Rick shares a meaningful look with Carl before opening the fence and walking down the hill to face the Governor. "Let 'em go….right now. I'll stay down here and talk as long as you want. You have a tank. You don't need hostages, so let 'em go."

"All this here is just to show you I mean business. Now, you and your people are going to leave this prison. I need it and I'm taking over right now," the Governor states.

"We're not leaving. This is our home," Rick returns.

"So, you're willing to gamble with Herschel's life? Do your friends mean nothing to you?" He jumps down from the tank, grabbing Michonne's sword and walks over to where Herschel and Michonne are kneeling in the grass.

Rick tries his best to keep his cool, but can't help flinching when the Governor unsheathes the katana, holding it against Herschel's neck. He can faintly hear the whimpers of Beth and Maggie behind him. "It doesn't have to be like this. There's enough room here for all of us."

"Don't try and change the subject, Rick. Are you willing to risk your friends' lives by not handing over the prison?" The Governor looks at him intently and notices as Rick's eyes fall on Michonne for a brief moment. He turns and glances down at the warrior woman, the woman who took his eye and then back at Rick. "Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way." He scoffs as he moves onto the other side to stand by Michonne. "You didn't give this one up when you could have. I wonder why that is. Doesn't matter now. I'll have her just like I wanted before."

Rick refuses to allow the Governor's words to trouble him. He knows he can't let his emotions take over. Not now. "There are children here who are sick. Don't you see? We can't leave. They won't make it out there."

"Do you need more incentive?" The Governor cups Michonne's face with his hand, lifting her chin. He smiles as he stands behind her and places the blade of the katana between her breasts. "This blade is sharp. I don't need to make any….mistakes."

Rick's mind is in a whirlwind as he can't think straight, watching the Governor hold Michonne's sword against her body like that. _Maybe…maybe if I…if I tell him how I feel about her. No, he can't know. He'll kill her for sure if he knows how much I care…how much I lo…._

"You're losing the daylight, Rick. What's it gonna be?"

"Take me. You can do whatever you want to me, but let her….let 'em go. I'll take their place," Rick offers. _We can't lose her. I can't lose her._

"You just don't get it, do you?!" The Governor looks directly at Rick as he raises the katana.

Rick freezes. "Don't…please….." He doesn't think, he just acts as he pulls his python out in record time and fires, hitting the Governor in the shoulder. The wound doesn't kill him, but it injures him enough to make him drop the katana.

Chaos breaks lose as gunshots ring out and bullets start flying between the two groups. Rick has to immediately run for cover, so he's not sure if Michonne and Herschel managed to escape or not. He has to get to her somehow.

Scenario III

Michonne can scarcely believe the destruction laid out before her. The prison is completely demolished, destroyed by the Governor and his people. She temporarily relishes in the fact that he is dead once and for all. She drove her katana through his heart to keep him from killing Rick. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw how bloodied and bruised Rick was. She looks around now, searching for any sign of him or Carl or Judith or anyone from the prison but there is none.

Rick tried his best to hold on to her, telling her they needed to stay together. She was firm when she told him to find Carl and Judith while she tried to salvage a vehicle for them to get away in. She had no luck securing a vehicle and now she is having no luck finding.…her family. She knows she can't stay here. The place is overrun with walkers, so she has no choice but to walk away.

Before she leaves, she decides she needs some camouflage. She lures two walkers near the prison's gates and proceeds to chop off their arms and their jaws. She ties them with rope and leads them behind her, walking away from what used to be her home.

She tries her best to block thoughts of Rick from her mind. _He's probably dead, so I should just keep going. To where I don't know. He was so willing to sacrifice himself for me. Did he even think about Carl and Judith? I still remember his eyes when he pleaded with the Governor. The way he held onto me, trying to keep me with him…_ She shakes her head vehemently. _It just wasn't meant to be. This proves it._ She wanders on, aimlessly.

"_I love you, Michonne. You know that," Mike says with affection._

_Michonne is smiling as she serves Mike and Terry some wine, picking little Andre up as he races into the room. "Yeah, I know. I just wish you would say it more often."_

"_What about me? I love you, too."_

_Michonne gasps loudly as Rick appears, standing only a few feet from her. She shakes her head, looking at Mike in a panic, wondering how she is going to explain all of this. _

_Mike no longer looks like Mike. His skin is gray and ashy, his clothes are torn and dirty, his hair unkempt. His friend, Terry, is in the same state of disarray._

_Michonne frowns deeply, trying to understand what she is seeing. She looks over at Rick who still looks the same. He is wearing his brown plaid shirt, his black jeans. His hair is a little messy, but she's used to that and she knows he'll get around to shaving.…eventually. She smiles as she takes him in and Carl suddenly appears by his side, holding Judith. Something immediately feels off to her. There is no slight weight in her arms. She looks down and Andre isn't there. Her breathing becomes uneven and labored as she turns to ask Mike about their son. Only Mike can't talk because his jaw is missing as well as his arms. She screams as loud as she can as her world starts spinning around and around._

Michonne pops awake with a gasp, looking around, anxiously. She took refuge in an abandoned car the night before, the two walkers keeping guard by the door she tied them to. She grabs her head and sighs heavily as the dream comes back to the forefront of her mind. Terry and Mike dismembered, sitting in the dark, Andre just…gone while Carl, Rick and Judith were standing in the sun, whole and happy.

She buries her face in her hands as all the misery, heartache, and memories rush to the surface. She cries for her baby boy who she will never see again, she cries for the man she loved and the fact that he will never get the chance to be the father and husband he should have been, she even cries for Terry because he wouldn't have made the choices he made if the world hadn't been destroyed and most of all she cries for Rick, Carl, and Judith...they could've been her second chance.

Suddenly, she has to know. She has to find out what happened to them. It's better to know than to wonder for however long she has left in this world of decaying walking corpses. She exits the car, ready to walk away, leaving her guards behind. She only takes a few steps before changing her mind and doubling back to the car.

She eyes the two walkers, remembering Mike and Terry. "I know what it means now." She unsheathes her katana and decapitates the two walkers with one swing.

For the next day or so, she searches for Rick and Carl, utilizing the tracking skills she learned from Daryl. _Daryl?_ She wonders if he got out alive. Shaking her head to clear it, she focuses on the task at hand. A trail she picked up on a few hours ago leads to a neighborhood. She looks around cautiously, noticing a huge empty can that reads chocolate pudding. _Chocolate?_

She glances around ever aware of her surroundings and quietly approaches the house the can was closest to. She stealthily walks up the steps, hands on her katana at the ready to face any impending threat. She peeks through the window and sees Carl and Rick seated on the floor in front of a sofa, eating and drinking. Emotions override her thought process as her lips begin to tremble and she releases the hilt of her sword. Tears trickle down her face and she can't help but smile despite her tears as the relief of finding them alive spreads through her body.

Wiping her face as best as she can, she moves to the door and raps quickly. She hears muffled sounds of movement and waits patiently, excited to actually see their faces again.

On the other side of the door, Rick is looking through the peep hole. He can't believe his eyes as he takes in the beautiful face of the woman he thought he had lost. He looks down and quickly starts pulling at the knot of cable Carl used to secure the door.

"Dad? Who is it?" Carl asks, still holding his gun at the ready.

"Get this damn thing off the door." Rick commands as his hands are shaking too badly to have any success.

Carl does as he's told, but in his impatience to see who is at the door, he shoves the curtain to the side and looks out one of the front windows. He gasps in disbelief. "Michonne?!"

They manage to get the door open and grab her, each of them laughing uncontrollably. They quickly move inside and secure the door once again.

Carl clings to Michonne, not wanting to let go. She returns the hug while locking eyes with his father, taking in his wounds and wondering if he's really ok. She smiles as the tears continue to come for her and for Rick.

Night has fallen and Michonne is relieved that Carl has finally relaxed enough to go to sleep. He was so upset about Judith that all she could do was hold him and rock him while he cried. She is not sure where Rick is, but she knows he probably heard his son's anguish. Her heart is breaking as well, but she can't help remembering the dream she had. Judith was fine in her dream, just as Carl and Rick were, so she is going to cling to that image and believe that someone from the prison has Judith. Not one of them would have left her behind.

She quietly closes the bedroom door after looking in on Carl one last time. She makes her way down the stairs, but doesn't see Rick anywhere. Habit drives her to check the doors and windows yet again, ensuring that the house is secure before she makes her way upstairs. She finds him in what she assumes is the master bedroom. He appears to have cleaned himself up, tended to his wounds, and changed shirts.

He watches intently as she walks into the room, unable to take his eyes off of her. "Carl ok?"

She shakes her head no. "He will be, though. How about you?"

"I...I know what I _should_ be feeling, but I can't bring myself to believe that she's gone. I thought I had lost you, but when…you showed up at that door, I just….I knew everything was going to be ok. You do that for me. You make everything alright," Rick admits.

"I thought you were gone, too, but something convinced me not to give up just yet and I'm so glad I didn't." She smiles as the tears start to come yet again. She was so happy to be with him that her emotions were running rampant.

"There are a lot of things I didn't get a chance to say before everything went to shit and now that you're here, I realize I need to say them. Not only because tomorrow's not promised to us, but because you need to know and I need to know if you feel the same way." He hesitates only for a brief moment, mustering up his courage. He looks into her eyes and finds all the courage he needs. "I love you, Michonne. Today's the first day that I've been….awake and I hadn't had time to really think about how dire things were for me and Carl. Just when I felt like…I was going to lose it, you knocked on the door. That was a sign, right? That means something."

"Yes, it means something." She walks to him slowly. "I don't know what exactly, but I found you when I needed to. We're here together…..we survived." She stops in front of him, reaching up to caress his cheek, softly. "I love you, Rick Grimes. You got under my skin the first day I laid eyes on you and for some reason, you refuse to move."

They laugh together as Rick pulls her into his arms. He lifts her chin with a finger and kisses her gently. They both step back, almost afraid of the overwhelming sensation caused by their slight contact.

Rick is the one who decides to throw caution to the wind as he steps to her and leans in to kiss her again. He groans as he wants to taste more of her and as his split lip begins to sting. He ignores the pain as he splays a hand at her hip and pulls her to him.

Michonne breaks their kiss. "Rick, you're hurt."

"I don't care." He pulls his shirt over his head with a little difficulty, but he gets the job done and stands before her shirtless.

She eyes his naked flesh with appreciation, reading the desire and yearning emanating from him so profoundly. She swallows visibly as she realizes how much she wants to take this journey with him. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Hurt me…..please."

Michonne can't help but laugh as this is one of the reasons she loves this man so much. He can make her smile despite their circumstances and the fact that he tries when she knows how stoic he tends to be just makes her love him all the more. The urge to tease him right back bubbles up and she can't resist. "Alright, you asked for it."

They are sure to close and lock the door, although she is confident that Carl is out for the remainder of the night. They patiently undress each other and climb into bed, snuggling under the comforter and relishing in the feel of being in a real bed.

Rick inches closer to her, pulling her body flush against his as he starts to kiss her. He shudders as she wraps her arms around him, caressing his back as she wraps a leg around one of his.

The passion and the urgency between them grows until Rick is beyond anxious to feel her flesh around his. He rolls their bodies, so he is lying atop her, cradled between her legs. He lifts up slightly so he can read her, not wanting to do anything to displease her.

She can feel how ready Rick is and she doesn't want to wait any longer. She reaches down between their bodies, grasping him gently as she guides him to her core. She gasps as he inches in, slowly, taking his time and being considerate of her. She shows him better than she can tell him as she lifts her legs and her hips simultaneously, pulling him all the way in.

He groans and drops his head to her shoulder as he is completely enveloped in her warmth. "You really are trying to hurt me."

She grabs his ass as she lifts her hips again. "I thought that's what you wanted."

He hears the challenge in her voice and immediately wants to meet it. He starts to move with her, shoving his hands beneath her body to palm her ass as he grinds into her. He smiles as he must have hit a good spot because she clenches around him and gives the most erotic moan he has ever heard.

Moments later, he is tethering on the threshold of release, but he holds out because he wants to make sure she is satisfied first. The way she is calling his name over and over again assures him that she is close. His moves become bolder with a little more force in his drive to satisfy her.

Her teeth sinking into the flesh of his shoulder and the clench of her sex around his sends him over the edge with her. They continue to rock against each other as their bodies slowly recover.

He kisses her ever so sweetly as he rolls over, still trying to catch his breath. "That was….I don't think I have a word to describe it."

Michonne smiles. "Me either."

They share a knowing look, realizing that what they have is special and it will help them to face whatever is next on their agenda. Neither of them knows what that may be, but they're willing to meet the challenge head on, side by side.


	14. Mouthing Off Chapter 14

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Mouthing Off (Chapter 14)

A/N: Another wonderful story dedicated to Richonne body parts. Hope you enjoy!

Her infectious laugh drifts to him from the other room as he tries not to be so obvious with searching her out. They're all at Sasha and Tyreese's place, having a group dinner as they are prone to do at least once or twice a week. He believes she has jinxed him as he has yet to get images of their last lunch time session out of his mind. He is definitely fixated on her, his latest obsession centered on her luscious, full lips.

She waltzes into the room, carrying a dish to add to the dinner selection, followed by Maggie and Rosita, doing the same. She takes a seat at the end of the table near Noah and Carl, grasping their hands as Father Gabriel recites a prayer to bless their meal.

He slyly watches her as she laughs and talks jovially with those surrounding her, enjoying her dinner as well. He can barely concentrate on his own meal as his eyes wander to her time and time again. She finally graces him with a look and a smile before returning to her conversation with Noah, Carl, and Eugene. He excuses himself from the table and walks to the patio out back. He takes a seat and begins to reflect on his relationship with Michonne.

For some unknown reason, he feels weighed down tonight and he doesn't like that feeling. She has flitted through his mind millions of times before, but lately things have been different. _What is it about this woman that makes me want to lock her up and keep her all to myself?_ He scoffs as he knows that will never happen. _Then again, she might like it_. He laughs, then jumps as her voice surprises him.

"What's so funny?" She asks as she closes the door behind her.

He smiles as just the sight of her makes his heart beat faster. His eyes drink her in, appreciating the way she looks in her yellow sundress. "Just thinking about something."

"You wanna share?"

"Naw, you probably wouldn't appreciate it," Rick says.

She sits in the chair opposite him, crossing her legs. "Try me. I might surprise you."

"I don't need any more surprises from you. I'd like to live to see my grandchildren," he returns.

Michonne laughs out loud at that and shakes her head. "So, you want me to scale things down a bit for you?"

"Never. I'll just take my chances." They share a laugh as he grasps her hand, kissing it softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She gives him that radiant smile of hers and it is in that moment that Rick realizes what he wants. He wants Michonne to be his wife. He wants to connect their lives in every way possible. That weight he felt earlier seems to lift away immediately with this new epiphany. Now, he wonders if she will agree.

Later that night, he is sitting in bed, watching her go through her nightly routine after her shower. He found her an old antique vanity on a run a few weeks ago and she has fallen in love with it. She has all her oils and lotions and who knows what else placed strategically within reach and she sits there most nights, moisturizing her smooth, glowing skin, giving him a show that she is unaware of.

He gets up and walks over to stand in front of her, reaching to cup her cheek as he traces her bottom lip with a finger. "Your mouth is driving me insane. I couldn't even concentrate on dinner because I was imagining kissing you."

She smiles as he leans down to plant one on her. She grips the back of his thighs, pulling him to her as she rests her head against his abdomen. "Are you going to sleep in here with me tonight?"

He caresses her back as she holds him, always intrigued by the silkiness of her skin. "Is that what you want?"

She looks up at him and nods, almost shyly.

"So, we're making this official then? No more sneaking around? We're going to let everyone know we're together?" He asks, his eyes hopeful.

"If that's what you want," she answers.

"What I want is for you to take my last name."

Michonne gasps as Rick drops down to his knees in front of her.

"I want you to be my wife, Michonne. Will you have me?"

She blinks rapidly as she only considers his question for a moment, trying to keep her tears at bay. "Yes." She hugs him to her, holding him tightly as she reminisces on him removing his ring weeks ago. It makes her wonder how long he has been planning this. She pulls back to search his eyes, reveling in the love she sees there. She smiles as he zeroes in on her lips yet again. "Kiss me."

Rick goes in passionately, hungrily, leading with his tongue as he angles his head and moves his hands underneath her robe to her thighs. He pulls her to the edge of her chair, barely able to contain himself as his manhood collides with her womanhood. He can't get enough of her full, delectable lips as he devours her mouth, nibbling and sucking as he continues to kiss her. He reluctantly moves down to her neck and further down to her breasts, pulling her robe open to gain access.

Michonne leans against the back of the chair as he travels further down, caressing her sweet spot with his tongue. She runs her fingers through his hair as she never gets enough of making love with him. She drapes her legs over his shoulders and settles in for this glorious ride he is about to take her on. She rocks against him, the crescendo towards her release, growing with each stroke of his tongue. She grips the seat of the chair, crying out as her orgasm sweeps through her body, her center vibrating like never before.

Rick pops up, noticing their images in the vanity mirror. He is almost mesmerized by the look on his future wife's face as she is still in the throes of her orgasm. He pushes his pajama bottoms down, freeing his erection and plunges into her, satisfied with her shriek of surprise.

"Oh, my….Rick…wait…. please…" She gasps with each word as he is showing no mercy. Her body shivers almost uncontrollably as his movements only serve to make her spasm more and more. She is sure to catch his gaze as he moves inside her. She grips his forearms, holding on tightly. "Payback….is….hell." She throws her head back trying not to scream as another orgasm takes hold of her.

He smiles as he knows he has satisfied her immensely. He glances up at her captivating mouth, her lips parting with each gasp as he thrusts into her again and again. He moves a hand to her back, pulling her up so he can capture her mouth with his, never breaking his rhythm. The kiss manages to send his body into overdrive.

Michonne can feel him as he seems to grow even larger and longer inside of her as he is on the verge of release. She relaxes as she feels his member vibrating inside of her as he spills his seed, his body slowly rocking to a stop.

He gradually disconnects their bodies, pulling his bottoms up with one hand, continuing to support her with the other. He wraps her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck and stands up, moving to the bed. He lays her down, carefully and removes her robe.

"Rick, what are you doing?" She asks as he removes his pajama bottoms, standing before her naked.

He wiggles his eyebrows at her. "I want to sleep naked with you."

She smiles at her adorable man and reminds him. "We have slept together naked before, you know."

"Not all night," he returns.

They both climb under the covers and settle in for the night, enjoying the comfort of each other's warmth. It's not long before they're sound asleep.

Michonne is awakened by a slight prodding at her backside. She slowly becomes more aware of what she is feeling and her eyes pop fully open as she smiles. _Oh my goodness. He's got morning wood. Can't let that go to waste._ She turns to face him, fully expecting to encounter those beautiful blue eyes of his. She is surprised to see that he is still sound asleep. _Wonder what he's dreaming about_.

She slides further down in the bed, rolling her body on top of his, placing him on his back. She smiles as he groans just a bit, but doesn't appear to wake up. She gently takes hold of him and touches her tongue to him lightly.

Rick's eyes open immediately as he tosses the comforter back and looks down at Michonne with questioning eyes.

"Is my mouth still driving you insane?"

He gasps as she rolls the tip of him across her lips over and over again before taking him into her mouth with a groan. He fists the sheets as he is not used to being awaken in this way at all.

She pulls up and takes him out of her mouth with a sound pop. "Payback…is…hell." She reminds him as she envelopes him once again, sucking him like he is her favorite flavor lollipop.

Rick grabs a pillow to bite down on as she is showing him no mercy with that miraculous mouth of hers.


	15. Reminisce Chapter 15

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Reminisce (Chapter 15)

A/N: This is a request from Babe Malf. Hope I did this idea some justice. Also, shout out to Codename-me for her much appreciated feedback. Thank you.

Scenario I

Rick and Michonne were on duty, patrolling during the afternoon hours. As usual, they weren't expecting to find anything, but the job had to be done. They note the citizens of the Safe Zone carrying out day to day activities, keeping the community operating. The family had been there long enough to grow acclimated to the place as everyone had jobs to do and felt as if they were contributing to the community's survival.

They have arrived at the gate just as Daryl and Aaron were returning from another scouting trip. Michonne distinguishes immediately that they are not alone. The two men they are escorting appear dirty and unkempt, their faces hardly visible beneath their shades and facial hair. They are laden down with backpacks that seem to be brimming with supplies.

Daryl rolls his bike right up to Rick. "Brace yourself." He turns to one of the newcomers. "Hey. Come take a look."

One of the men removes his backpack as he approaches Daryl and Rick cautiously. Rick's eyes are questioning as Daryl looks between the two. Michonne is curious as well.

The newcomer's face breaks into a smile. "Well, I'll be damned. It really is Rick Grimes."

"Do I know you?" Rick eyes the stranger, preparing for anything.

The stranger removes his shades. "Well, it has been a long time, but surely you recognize your brother…brother."

Rick's mouth drops open. "Shane?!"

Michonne vaguely remembers Rick relaying the story of his best friend and partner, Shane Walsh. She recalls that Shane saved his family when the breakout began as Rick had been shot in the line of duty and was still in the hospital. She also recalls that Shane and Rick had a falling out over leadership which prompted Shane to leave their group over a year ago. No one had laid eyes on him again until this very moment. She wants to be happy for Rick, but can't help wondering if this will be a good idea or bad to allow Shane Walsh back into their lives. She is shaken from her reflections as Rick grabs her hand, pulling her to him and introduces her to Shane.

She nods politely, looking to Rick for his slight lapse in judgment. Everyone knows they're together, but they decided to keep it professional while on duty. She gazes at Shane as he sizes her up openly.

"What are you trying to tell me here, man? Where's Lori….and Carl?" Shane asks, looking around.

Michonne can feel Rick tense up. She gives his hand a squeeze and whispers that she'll let him get caught up with his friend and will see him later. She is relieved as Rick slowly relinquishes her hand and gives her a nod.

Shane obviously knows something is amiss as he retrieves his backpack. "By the way, this is Scooter. I been on the road with him for a while now. Guess we lucked up when Daryl and Aaron found us. This place looks like heaven, man." He and Scooter follow Aaron and Daryl to Deana's office.

At least 48 hours have passed since Shane's arrival and he has been welcomed with open arms by the family. He is staying with Rick, Michonne, and the kids for now and Aaron and Eric decided to take Scooter in until a house is available.

The Grimes family and Shane have arrived home after having dinner at Maggie and Glenn's place. Rick and Shane opt to have a drink on the patio as Michonne prepares a fussy Judith for bed. Carl offers to care for his sister, but Michonne declines, telling him to go on and retire for the night. As soon as she calms Judith down, she dresses for bed herself and lays down with Judith nestled in the crook of her arm, one of the baby girl's favorite places. Moments later, the two of them are fast asleep.

"Man, you know how sorry I am to hear about Lori. That must've been real hard on y'all, but I just gotta say something," Shane professes. He continues as Rick looks to him with expectancy. "You have got to be the luckiest son of a bitch I know. How in the hell did you snag a woman like Michonne?"

Rick gives a slight laugh, unable to answer the question as he is still trying to figure it out himself. He knew she was out of his league as soon as he saw her at the fence.

"I mean, she's beautiful, has the body of a freaking goddess, and looks like she could kick _your_ ass," Shane laughs.

"Maybe that's what I like about her," Rick jokes.

"Well, you better hold tight to that one. A lot of men are gonna be hankering for her," Shane informs.

Rick allows his words to seep in. He knows what he has with Michonne is rare and there is no way he is going to do anything to mess that up. "Guess I'll go on to bed now. See you in the morning."

"Yeah, uh….hey Rick? Something's been eating at me, man. I thought I could do this, but being here, seeing what you and your family have done, I don't want to destroy that." Shane looks to his friend as Rick's expression goes from content to questioning to suspicious.

"What are you talking about Shane?"

Shane sighs heavily, rubbing his head. "You see, I didn't know it was you behind these walls. If I had known, maybe I could've changed their minds."

Rick sits up, his entire body tense and alert. "Whose minds?"

"I was supposed to come in and infiltrate this place. Get my group in here to take over. I'm supposed to meet them and give a report in the morning. Only I don't think I can, knowing you're here, your family's here."

Rick stands up. "Wait one fucking minute, Shane. You're telling me there's a group out there waiting to come in and attack us and you been knowing this shit all along?!"

"It's what we do, man. I been with this group for damn near 6 months now. I hooked up with a couple of guys when I hit Fort Benning. We went on to South Carolina and the group got bigger as we traveled. I got about 25 guys answering to me. I make most of the calls, but it ain't all up to me. Our leader is Cy. You wanna know how he got his name? He's fucking psycho. Get it?"

"And you're telling me all this? Why? You're giving us a chance to leave? Just what are you planning to tell them about us?" Rick is doing all he can to hold back on punching Shane in the face. He can't believe he was this stupid, this gullible to trust him. _I guess some shit just stays the same._

"Look, man. I'm…I'm tired. I'm really struggling with this. I've done a lot of shit I ain't proud of and I just want….I don't want anything to happen to this place but how can I stop it? I'm warning you. That's what I _can_ do. You can pack up and leave now, hell you can try and fight if you want to, but your women, your kids…I'd send them away if I were you. Michonne especially. They'll like her, they'll try and break her…in every way possible."

Rick grabs Shane by his shirt and slams him against the back door. "You sorry son of a bitch! This is my family you're talking about! You used to care about these people! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"Man, I ain't have to tell you shit! I could've told them everything they needed to know and let them come in and kill you in your fucking sleep! I'm warning you so you can do something about it!" He pushes Rick away from him. "Get your hands off me!"

"Alright, you warned me. Now what? You said you're struggling with this, so that means you don't want to do it. Tell me what I need to know so I _can_ do something."

Shane shakes his head. "If they find out I told you anything, I'll be just as dead as you. These motherfuckers are lethal, Rick. Just go, man. Take your family and leave."

"You could change this. Meet up with them tomorrow, find out what their plan is and let us know so we can counterattack. You know we're good people, Shane and you know we don't deserve this," Rick states.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

The hour is well after midnight, but Rick has gathered his family together so everyone can hear Shane's real purpose for coming to the Safe Zone. Once the initial shock wears off, Shane goes on to explain his plan to meet up with his group as organized and gather information on their exact strategy.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Sasha asks.

"You don't. It's just the chance you're going to have to take," Shane answers.

"Shane…" Rick's voice is a warning, but he is interrupted by Carol.

"You're going to do the right thing, aren't you, Shane? Otherwise, why are we even here? You told Rick all of this for a reason. You're going to help us keep this place." Carol is adamant with her statements. She eyes Shane, giving him a glimpse into who they used to be if only for a moment. She remembers how he defended her against Ed, how he took care of her after Sophia. She knows there has to be a good man in him somewhere.

"We all have our orders, so let's get to work," Rick tells them as he prepares to head to the armory.

"I don't. What are my orders?" Michonne asks.

Everyone freezes momentarily, looking from her to Rick and back again. Daryl pulls them out of their lapse with a curt "Let's go y'all". He nods to Rick, letting him know he would handle things while he took care of home.

Rick sees everyone out of the house and sends Carl to his room before he faces Michonne. He drops his head, unwilling to meet her questioning gaze. "I…didn't give you any orders because I'm sending you and the kids away from here."

Michonne narrows her eyes, slowly comprehending what he is saying. "That makes absolutely no sense. We're safer inside these walls."

"Not if Shane betrays us. Not if these assholes manage to get in. I can't….I won't risk it. Glenn and Maggie are going with you. There's a town about 50 miles from here. You'll be safer there. As soon as things are clear, I'll come for you."

"No." Michonne looks up at him defiantly. "I'm staying here and defending our home…with you. The kids can go with Maggie and Glenn, but my place is here."

Rick closes his eyes, trying his best to hold his temper at bay. "Don't do this. Not now. I need to make sure you and the kids are safe. Just in case things go bad."

"And I'm telling you I'll be safer here…with you. You need me," Michonne presses.

Rick allows her to think he is relenting, already forming a plan in his mind to get her to safety willingly or unwillingly.

They all work into the early am hours. Shane proposed to kill Scooter so he wouldn't warn Cy and his group, but Rick and Daryl convinced him to just lock him up until the dust settles. They secure him with zip ties to the wrists and ankles, duct tape his mouth, and lock him up in the holding cell at the constable's office.

Rick and Michonne return home and attempt to get at least a couple of hours of sleep. He holds her closely, unable to stop his mind from whirling with all the possibilities of this impending threat.

Michonne is unable to sleep as she knows how worried Rick is. She squeezes him tightly. "It's going to be ok. We haven't come this far for everything to go to shit now."

"Hmmm…" Rick sighs deeply, wanting to believe in her words.

Hours later, Glenn, Maggie, Carl, Judith, and Beth are loading up in a van. They have plenty of supplies and weapons as they are prepared to be away for at least a week. They are hoping it will only be a day or so, but they're prepared just in case.

Rick has lured Michonne to the constable's office on the pretense of discussing strategy. He struggles with himself for even contemplating this and he realizes he could be causing irrevocable damage to his relationship, but his stubbornness wins out.

He takes her by surprise as he softly grabs her wrists and pulls them behind her back. He is taken by surprise when he hears her giggle.

"Rick, we don't have time for this. You should've gotten it in when we were in bed. Let me go." Michonne thinks he is just being frisky.

He removes the zip ties from his back pocket and secures her wrists. He does the same to her ankles before she even realizes what he's about.

"Rick, what are you doing? Take these off." She struggles against them to no avail.

"I told you I was sending you away with the kids. I meant every word."

She gasps as he tosses her over his shoulder and walks out of the office. "You can't do this!" She kicks out, stretching her body to throw him off balance, but he keeps moving.

He avoids the questions and the looks as he arrives at the van and gently places Michonne on the very back seat.

"Rick Grimes, let me out of these things right now." Michonne is sure this is all a joke. She knows he can't possibly be serious about any of this.

He leans down and kisses her softly on the lips. "I love you."

Michonne is speechless as he exits the van. She scrambles to a sitting position as best as she is able and looks out of the window to witness Rick saying goodbye to Judith, Carl, Beth, Maggie, and Glenn. _He can't be serious_. "Rick! Let me out of here!"

"You know this is all kinds of wrong, right?" Maggie asks him as she tries to avoid eye contact with Michonne. "She's going to make us let her go."

"Just don't, ok? This is for her own good. Hopefully, I'll see you guys in a day or two," Rick predicts.

Carl eyes his father, then looks to Michonne. "Dad, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Just take care of your sister, son. I'll see you soon." Rick kisses his children and steps aside as they pile into the van.

Glenn and Maggie are in front, Carl and Beth sit on the middle row with Judith in between them, and Michonne is on the rear row.

"Glenn, don't drive away." Michonne warns. She is completely ignored as Glenn starts the vehicle, puts it in drive and travels out of the Safe Zone. She looks back at Rick as he stands where they left him. She is so angry, tears start to roll down her face.

Three days later, the fight is over. Shane actually came through for them. They knew the attackers' main points of entry, where they were placing each man at the wall. Shane warned them that they would take Sasha out first in the guard tower, so she was concealed in a bucket crane lifted high above the walls at a vantage point. Their numbers weren't as large as they originally thought as only 15 or so actually scaled the walls and entered the Safe Zone. They were dispatched quickly.

Shane was able to get to Cy and take him out, prompting Rick to wonder if that was his plan all along. He still can't trust his old friend completely, but he is willing to start by accepting him and the 2 or 3 survivors into the Safe Zone. He leaves Daryl in charge as he prepares to travel and retrieve his family.

An hour later, he drives into the small town, searching for the van. He finds it in front of an old gas station. He parks alongside it and moves cautiously inside the station, machete at the ready. He can faintly hear what he thinks may be Judy's gibberish as he allows the sound to guide him. He comes to a back door and tries it, but it is locked. He knocks tentatively, waiting. Seconds later, the door is thrown open by Glenn aiming a gun at his head.

The two men relax with recognition as Glenn allows Rick to enter, closing and locking the door behind him after perusing the doorway to ensure no one, walker or otherwise, had found their way inside.

Rick takes in the scene before him. They created a makeshift camping ground out of a back storage room, one side of the room for sleeping and the other obviously for cooking and eating.

Michonne notices him right away and the smile she was directing at Judith fades immediately. Her heart begins to race as she has to admit she is glad to see that he is alive and well. She wasn't sure at this point, but she is still very angry with him. She doesn't know if she can forgive him for what he did.

Carl races to him and hugs him fiercely. "Dad. You're ok?"

"I'm fine, Carl." Rick says as he returns the hug and moves further into the room.

"So everything went ok? Everybody's fine?" Beth asks.

Rick nods. "Shane came through. Thank goodness."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go home," Maggie suggests.

They all begin to gather up their supplies, making several trips to load everything into the two vehicles. They are leaving with more than they came with as Maggie and Glenn went on a supply run while they were there.

Michonne walks out to see the van ambling its way down the road. She quickly glares at Rick. He obviously sent the others on their way, so he could have some time with her. "I'm not talking to you."

"Fine. Just listen then." He takes a short pause. "When Shane told me what those guys were about, it terrified me. I made up my mind right then and there that you wouldn't be part of it. I had to protect you somehow. I know you can take care of yourself and you don't need me to do that, but I _want _to take care of you. I _need_ to be able to do that. It lets me know that I can be of some use to you."

Michonne's expression softens as she realizes what Rick is saying. He wants her to need him. He needs to feel needed. "Well, you could've asked me. You didn't have to manhandle me like that."

"I'm sorry. I felt that was the only way I was going to get it done. You weren't going to listen otherwise and if you want me to be completely honest, I was expecting you to run up to those gates at any moment during that fight."

She laughs as the thought crossed her mind several times. "Well, you can thank your son and daughter for that. They were in good hands with Beth, Maggie, and Glenn, but I couldn't leave them."

"You put the sword up, remember? You said you were tired of fighting. I understand that and sometimes, babe, you don't have to fight because I'll do it for you….if you let me."

They both smile shyly, finally taking the time to really look at each other and realize how long they had been apart.

"Were you too mad to even miss me?" Rick asks.

"I missed you," she says softly.

"I missed you, too." He walks over to her slowly and pulls her in for a long awaited hug.

Scenario II

"Man, you hear that? Something bad's going down," Shane tells Rick. They are in the woods away from the prison, checking the snares and scouting for more game.

"Yeah, I hear it and we should just ignore it," Rick returns.

"I can't. Come on." The two men walk in the direction the sounds are coming from. They arrive at a clearing to see a small herd of walkers, surrounding something or someone. They soon learn it's a someone as a silver blade comes up again and again to slice through each walker and dispatch the threat in no time at all.

They look at each other in complete surprise and amazement as the small person lifts her head, breathing heavily after such an exhausting feat. She doesn't notice them right away, but when she does, she is in fighting mode once again.

They are a distance away, but can see that she is covered in blood, a very lean, but shapely woman and she is obviously exhausted.

"We don't mean any harm. We were just out here hunting and heard the commotion. That's all." Rick holsters his gun to show her he is being peaceful.

She raises her sword, her eyes never leaving them. "Stay back."

"Are you hurt? We can help you. We have a place not far from here…" Rick trails off as she raises her sword higher, then moves backward and retrieves a backpack. She secures it on her shoulder and is about to continue walking rearward away from them when more walkers start ambling out of the trees.

He can see the slight panic in her eyes as she realizes she can't take on another herd just now.

Shane grabs his friend by the arm. "Let's go!"

Rick looks at the stranger and yells, "Come on!"

She doesn't hesitate as she runs straight for them, catching up to run alongside them, away from the threat. They run for a long enough time to put the needed distance between them and the walkers. They are now moving at a regular pace and Rick can't help looking over at her every few seconds, something about her is stirring him.

She keeps her head down, obscuring his vision of her face.

"You gonna tell us your name?" He asks.

She remains silent.

"Come on now. We know you got a name. We're just trying to be helpful here. No harm intended," Shane adds.

They stop as the prison comes into view.

"This is our home, but we can't let you enter unless you tell us your name and answer some questions for us," Shane reveals.

She finally lifts her head, her hair falling back, revealing her beautiful blood stained face. "You should already know who I am because I certainly remember you two."

"Hey now! You're that uppity lawyer with the fancy name, ain't ya?" Shane remembers.

Rick just stares at her, unable to believe his eyes.

Hours later, they are at the prison, enjoying a quiet dinner with the others. Michonne sits off to herself, keeping quiet. She did agree to tell them her name and she answered the three questions, but remains quiet and reserved.

Rick can't help but remember the time they met. She was new at the County Attorney's office, fresh out of law school. He and Shane had just graduated the academy and for some reason most of their cases were assigned to her. Of course, there wasn't a lot of work in King's County, but things did happen.

She was just so well put together, always on time, always organized. It bothered Shane to no end, so he deliberately did stuff to rattle her and she hated it. He was never in on it, but she labeled him as being guilty by association. They worked together for six months before she landed a job in Atlanta and moved away.

There was always something about her. Whatever it was made him really cautious around her at first, then they got to know each other a little better and those last 2 months were really nice between them. He never told Shane this, but he remembers going to Atlanta to meet her for drinks one night. Nothing happened, but he certainly wanted it to. Fast forward a month or so and she had met someone and he had met someone hence the end of their communication and what could have been.

He watches her now, wanting to put the rest of her story together. _Did she get married? Have kids? If so, why is she alone? Did something happen to them? Where was she when the world went haywire?_ The questions continue to flit through his mind. He can't help wanting to know more about her. It's been years, but looking into her eyes when she finally gave him her attention helped him to remember how he felt so long ago. He recognizes that she is different now. She hasn't smiled once while being here. Most would be happy to have food to eat, a roof over their heads, but she's just….here. He knows that feeling of just existing. Now that Lori is gone, that's all he is doing…existing, not living. He looks over in her direction, this time catching her eyes. In that split second before she looks away, he sees it. She's just as listless as he is.

Weeks have passed and of all people, she has warmed to Carl. He is thankful as his son seems to be a lot happier when she is around, but he is also resentful. She laughs and talks freely with Carl, Shane, Daryl….hell, mostly everyone at the prison. All except him. It makes him wonder if she even remembers the short association they had. _I guess it would be easy to forget since nothing really happened._

It's close to dinnertime and she normally goes to her cell before washing up and making her way to the mess hall. He waits patiently before walking to her cell and knocking tentatively.

She moves the curtain back and her eyes widen slightly at the sight of him. "Yes?"

"Can we talk for a minute?" Rick asks.

Michonne is cautious but she allows him to enter. "What's this about?"

"I just need to ask you something if that's ok," he tells her.

She nods. "Ok."

"Do you remember what you were doing on August 29, 2003 around 7:30?"

She stares directly into his eyes. "I was having drinks in Mid-town with a handsome blue-eyed sheriff's deputy."

They both smile shyly at each other.

"So you do remember?" Rick inquires.

"I remember everything." Michonne returns.

"Well…..would I be too forward if I ask if we can pick up where we left off?"

She sighs as she considers his question. "I can see that you've been through a lot. I have too, but I guess we can try."


	16. Reminisce Part II Chapter 16

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Reminisce Part II (Chapter 16)

**A/N: At the request of Babe Malf.**

Rick offers his arm, his eyes dancing at just the thought of spending time with her. "Can I escort you to dinner?"

Michonne smiles as her stomach seems to flutter with butterflies. She takes his arm, wondering what it is about this man that would even make her consider whatever it is she is considering. "I'd like that."

They stop to wash their hands then make their way to the mess hall. The buzz of chatter and laughter reach them as this is always a time of togetherness and joy at the prison. Everyone is happy to have another meal and someone to share it with. The chatter levels down considerably as Rick and Michonne walk into the hall arm in arm. He escorts her to a table after telling her that he'd get plates and water for them.

Michonne is unsure of how she feels about all of this, but Rick has taken her by such surprise that she is willing to let him lead right now. She watches as Shane makes his way over to Rick with a smile on his face.

"What's this, brother?" Shane asks as Rick is retrieving dinner for himself and Michonne.

"What's what?" Rick counters.

"You come waltzing in here like you're escorting your prom date and you don't think anybody's gonna notice?" Shane inquires.

Rick scoffs. "What's to notice? We're just having dinner. Same as everybody else."

"Yeah, right. What's up, man? You hitting that?" Shane looks to Rick with anticipation and dread. Anticipation because he wants details and dread because he thought he might have had a chance with the beautiful lady, although she never gave him that impression.

"Excuse me. Michonne's waiting for her dinner," Rick says as he walks away from Shane.

"Oh, it's like that, huh?" Shane rubs his head as Rick looks back at him with a smile.

Carl is seated next to Michonne as Rick returns with their dinner. "Hey Dad. You joining us?"

Rick smiles as he was about to ask Carl the same thing. "I guess I am." He takes note as Carl would normally sit with Beth and Judith for dinner. "Why don't you bring your sister over?"

Michonne's look is a little panicked at the mention of bringing Judith over, but she relaxes quickly. Not before Rick took notice though. He ponders on it for a while, but decides to file it away for another time.

Thirty minutes later, they are into their dessert and Carl and Rick are the ones keeping the conversation alive as Michonne is quiet and stealing longing glances at Judith. Rick is about to comment on it when Judith spits up all over her brother. Carl jumps up, holding Judith away from him as she starts to cry loudly. Rick rushes over to help and notices Michonne has closed her eyes as if Judith's cries are disturbing her.

"Hey, Michonne? I…um need to get her cleaned up so…." Rick trails off as Michonne meets his gaze.

The look in her eyes is pained as she says, "It's fine. I'll clean up here and see you later." She gives him a slight smile as she moves off to get something to clean up the mess at the table.

Carl and Rick exit the area with a crying Judith.

For the next couple of days, Rick notices that Michonne is trying her best to avoid him. He knows he hasn't done anything wrong. Hell, he hasn't had time to, so he wonders what is really going on. He knows it has something to do with Judith and he wants to confront her about it, but realizes their relationship _if_ it's a relationship isn't at the stage where he should be making such demands of her. He has to tread carefully or she will cut him off completely.

Meanwhile, Michonne is in her cell, contemplating leaving the prison. She didn't sign up for this. Seeing Rick Grimes again, realizing that whatever she thought she was feeling for him years ago was just lying dormant in her system. Now is not the time for attachments, especially if that attachment has other attachments. His children. She can handle Carl. They talk about comics, movies, sports, weapons, they play games together, kill walkers together…..he makes her feel better about her current situation. As for Judith, she wants so badly to hold her and stay far away from her all at the same time. Judith represents what she can never have again and that pain eats at her, making her remember things that are better left alone. She makes up her mind right then and there that she has to go. Maybe not permanently, but she has to leave if only for a few hours to clear her head.

Moments later, she is strolling out of the prison gates, her backpack and her sword her only companions just as before.

Rick was so busy that he didn't take notice of her absence until she didn't show up for dinner. He was expecting her to walk through the door at any moment, but after an hour and she still hadn't shown her face, he started wondering what was going on. He figured she was avoiding him, but to miss a meal? That was a bit much. He asks Beth to look after Judith as he makes his way to Michonne's cell. He knocks several times and after not receiving an answer, pushes the curtain aside and steps in. Her bed is made up and everything seems to be in place. He does note that her backpack and her katana are missing. The katana isn't a surprise as she takes it with her everywhere like an extra appendage. It's the missing backpack that worries him. He remembers that Carol was on watch earlier, so he makes his way back to the mess hall to find out if Carol has seen her.

What Carol tells him makes his heart drop. "And you let her go?!"

"She said she was only going out for an hour or so. I thought it would be ok," Carol returns.

Rick takes a deep breath and tries to remain calm. "No one goes out alone. You know that."

By now, the others have noticed Rick's agitation and move over to assess the issue. Carol relays everything to them, letting them know that Michonne assured her she would be ok and Carol took her at her word.

"Well, what's done is done now, but Carol you need to let somebody know when you're making decisions like that. It affects us all as I'm sure Rick will want to search for her. My suggestion is we give it until the morning. If she's not back by first light, we should try and find her," Herschel states.

Rick nods with reluctance and retrieves Judith from Beth as he and Carl make their way to his cell.

"She'll be ok, won't she Dad?" Carl asks.

"I hope so, son. We'll go looking for her first thing," Rick assures him.

The hour is early but Carol makes her way to Rick's cell. She took it upon herself to help Tyreese with guard duty in the watch tower. She wanted to be the first one to lay eyes on Michonne in case she made her way back to the prison. Her relief was palpable when she witnessed the woman walking up to the gates as if she was just returning from a Sunday evening stroll. She checks her anger as she approaches Michonne making her way through the gates as they close quickly behind her.

"Glad to see you're back. You know I got yelled at for letting you go, so that won't be happening again," Carol informs.

"Yelled at? By who?" Michonne scoffs.

"You have to ask? Look, I don't know what's going on between you two but I don't want to see him like that again so maybe you should consider sticking around or at least letting him know what you're doing," Carol suggests.

Michonne is a little taken aback by her suggestion. "I don't have to tell him what I'm doing."

Carol reaches out to place a hand on her arm. "That's where you're wrong. This is a family here and we care about each other. We care what happens to the other. Honestly, I thought you had talked things over with Rick. That's the only reason I let you go today. If you're going to be part of this family, you have to abide by the rules. No more lone wolf crap or whatever you were going for today."

Michonne narrows her eyes at Carol, wanting to argue, but she takes a look around and realizes she made her way back to the prison for a reason. She could have kept going, but she came back. She nods slowly, acknowledging Carol's words as the two women walk up the hill.

Carol watches as Michonne keeps walking to her cell. She knocks rapidly at Rick's cell and is not surprised when he pushes the curtain back. Somehow, she knew he wouldn't be asleep. He is already dressed and apparently waiting for a little more light before he goes out to look for Michonne. "She's back."

Rick narrows his eyes with a tilt of his head as he nods to Carol. "Thank you." He immediately walks out of his cell and moves directly down the way to Michonne's. He sighs with relief as he notes the light coming from her lamp, her silhouette illuminated in shadow against the curtain. He reaches for the curtain about to step inside and suddenly remembers he should knock. He does so and is relieved when she pushes the curtain aside and allows him in.

Carol smiles as Rick enters Michonne's cell. She looks in on a sleeping Carl and Judith and makes her way to her own cell.

Rick and Michonne stare at each other in silence. She is wondering why he appears to be so upset and he is wondering why she doesn't seem to care.

"We…I was worried about you. Surely you know how dangerous it is going out by yourself like that," Rick reminds her.

"I was perfectly fine. I've been by myself for a long time, so I learned to adapt. It's not as hard as you think," Michonne returns.

Rick frowns. _Is she being flippant about this?_ "We just handle things differently around here. No one is supposed to go off alone. If something had happened to you, we wouldn't have known. You just shouldn't take risks like that."

Michonne wants so badly to fight against what Rick is telling her, but she knows in her heart that he's right. "You're right. I shouldn't have gone alone, but it was something I needed at the time. I'll try to be more…considerate next time."

_Next time?_ "There won't be a next time. You're not going outside those gates by yourself. Bottom line." He stares her down until she acknowledges his words. He is relieved when she gives a slight nod of her head and turns her back to him, turning down the blankets on her bunk, preparing for bed.

"I'm pretty tired. I'm going to sleep now," she tells him, still not facing him.

"I'm glad you're ok," Rick says as he exits her cell.

The next couple of weeks are a little off for them. Michonne is trying to keep Rick at bay while he is trying to engage her in everything he does. Despite the push and pull, they continue to have decent conversations and get to know more and more about each other every day.

Rick, Shane, Daryl, Glenn, and Tyreese are preparing to go on a run and Michonne sees it as a perfect opportunity to go on a little solo run of her own. She smiles as she sees them off, promising herself that she will be back in time before their return.

She sneaks off through unchartered territory of the prison, making her way through a breach on the far side away from prying eyes. She had to dispatch a few walkers, but that was needed exercise to keep her sharp and at the ready. She makes her way through the woods, finding her secret hideaway in a little over an hour. It's a small run down cabin, but it offers quiet solace. A place where she can be alone with her memories, talk with Mike and cry if she needs to. She had a particularly bad episode today as her feelings for Rick are growing stronger and stronger and she finds herself not wanting to fight it anymore. It feels like a betrayal to Mike, but how can it be when he was the one who betrayed her?

Hours later, she is making her way back to her cell. She didn't have time to check on Rick's whereabouts, so she was hoping he hadn't made it back yet. She gasps in surprise when she steps into her cell and sees Rick sitting on the bottom bunk. She immediately tries to play it off. "Hi. Did you guys have a pretty good run?"

Rick is silent as he takes in her mud caked boots, splatters of blood and mud on her pants. He is sure if he were to unsheathe the sword, he'd find traces of blood there too. This was a deliberate betrayal of his trust and he refuses to keep pretending that this woman wants anything to do with him.

Michonne notes that his body language, his silence, the refusal to look at her indicates how angry he is. She quickly tries to make amends. "I'm sorry. I know I was wrong, but I was having a bad day today and I just needed some time alone…to think things over." Her heart is beating erratically as she is unsure if he will even acknowledge what she just said.

"So why not just tell me that? Why wait until I'm gone to sneak off? Look, I realize that something bad happened out there. You'll tell me when you're ready, but I'm not going to let you punish me for something I had nothing to do with. I'm not trying to hold you or keep you under lock and key. I just want to protect you. I want you to be ok, but you keep putting yourself at risk and I'm not going to deal with that." He finally meets her eyes and Michonne realizes that she just might lose him.

She panics quietly as she doesn't know what to say to make this right. An overwhelming sense to grab him overtakes her as she watches him walk toward the door. "Rick? Wait…"

He stops just in front of the doorway and looks back at her.

She walks over to him slowly and whispers, "I'm sorry." She kisses him softly, cautiously. When he doesn't pull away or move, she kisses him again, stepping closer. They search each other's eyes as Michonne places a hand on his cheek and leans in for yet another kiss.

Rick wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her to him as he deepens their kiss, opening his mouth to get a better taste of her. He moans as he feels her open up for him, her hands moving to his back, pressing him to her. They get lost in each other for what seems like a long time, but was only a matter of minutes.

Michonne pulls back slightly. "Do you forgive me?"

Rick smiles. "I forgive you."

Several weeks have passed and Rick and Michonne have grown even closer.

Sasha is in the tower with Daryl as they both witness Michonne giving Rick a kiss at the gate as she leaves on another solo run.

"You see that? He practically yelled at Carol for letting her go out and now he lets her go whenever she gets ready," Sasha acknowledges.

Daryl shakes his head. "Yeah, love can do some strange things, can't it?"

Moments later, Sasha smirks. "Look at that. Is he following her?"

"Damn, is he whipped too?" The two of them share a look and a laugh.

Michonne has been walking for about thirty minutes when she detects someone following her. She doesn't panic as she is sure it is Rick. She stops by a nearby tree. "When you agreed to this, you didn't say anything about following me."

He moves into her line of vision with a smile. "I thought I'd figure out what it is you do out here when you're gone. Do you mind?"

She offers her hand and they walk in companionable silence, arriving at the cabin after another thirty minutes or so. She opens the door, looking back at him as he follows her inside.

"Welcome to my little shack."

Rick looks around, taking in how she has taken the time to kind of spruce the place up. "How long have you been coming here?"

"I found it on my first outing after I came to the prison. I haven't seen many walkers nearby and I just need to get away once in a while, clear my head." She grabs her backpack and starts removing items one by one. "How about some lunch?"

Rick agrees. "Thank you for sharing this with me. I know you didn't have to."

"It's fine." She leads him to the large pieces of carpet on the wood floor and sits down indian style. She smiles as he does the same and they commence to eat, talking about the walk over and maybe bringing Carl and Judith one day.

The mention of Judith brings back unpleasant memories for Michonne, although she has gotten much better in her dealings with Judith. She can actually hold her now and attempts to spend time with her. She realizes maybe, just maybe that means she is healing.

She looks over at Rick and sighs. "I…I had a husband and a son. Mike and Andre. I lost them."

"Michonne, you don't have to…."

She interrupts him. "Yes, I do. I need to tell you. We got out together with our friend Terry. We ended up at a camp and I went out on a run. When I came back, the fences were down. Mike and Terry had been bitten and Andre…" She tears up, but continues. "They're gone now and it was really hard for me to accept. Judith…she reminds me of what I'll never have again. It was hard…to be around her, but she's such a good baby. She just kind of drew me in, you know."

Rick smiles, picturing his baby daughter. "I'm sorry."

Michonne nods. "I'm getting better. Do you mind if I ask you about Lori?"

"No. I'm sure Carl told you how she died, what happened. I…I felt such guilt because I was an asshole her entire pregnancy. She was….unfaithful and I didn't know if Judith was mine or not, but she is. I know she is. I just hate that Lori died before I could make things right, you know."

"We have to remember the good times though. They outweigh the bad, right?" Michonne asks.

"Right," he agrees.

"So you think we should head back?"

"Yeah, in a minute. I just want to talk a look around. I know it's not much but there are what…two other rooms?" Rick acknowledges with a short laugh.

Michonne giggles as she begins clearing up their lunch and repacking her backpack. She glances over as Rick moves to a standing position and walks through the little run down cabin. She can't help admiring his physique. They've had a few heated make out sessions but have yet to consummate their relationship. It's been so long for her she wonders if she'll even know what to do when the time presents itself.

She stands, adjusting her backpack preparing to place it on her back when Rick walks up behind her. She looks back over her shoulder at him. "Find anything special?"

He wraps his arms around her waist. "Yeah, right here in my arms."

She smiles as she turns to face him and they share a nice, long kiss.

Later that night after dinner and after the kids are asleep, Rick and Michonne are spending more time together in her cell. They laugh as they talk about the possibilities if things had worked out between them when they first met.

"We'd be married with three kids in the zombie apocalypse," Rick laughs.

Michonne is moved by the fact that he would include Andre in their little equation.

Hours later, she is awakened by a soft snore right next to her ear. She lifts her head and realizes that she and Rick had fallen asleep. She watches him quietly, noting how peaceful and more youthful he appears. She leans over and kisses him softly on the lips. She takes the time to look at him, all of him, letting her eyes travel from the full mass of curls all the way down to his sizable sock covered feet.

An overwhelming need takes hold of her and she decides right then and there, she's ready to dive in and take their relationship to the next level. She zeroes in on his partially exposed chest as a button or two on his shirt must have snapped open while he was sleeping. She grabs the collar of the shirt and pushes it away from his neck as she leans down and starts placing tiny kisses along his neck and exposed chest.

She knows the exact moment when he opens his eyes as she can feel his heartbeat and breathing quicken. She looks up at him and smiles as she covers his mouth with hers in a passionate kiss.

He returns the kiss with enthusiasm then pulls back, looking into her soulful brown eyes. "Are you sure?"

She nods. "Are you?"

"I've never been surer about anything in my life," Rick admits.

She quickly moves on top of him, resting between his legs as they continue to kiss and caress each other slowly. She unsnaps the remaining buttons on his shirt, revealing his chest before she begins to lave his body with her tongue.

He pulls at her tank top impatiently trying to remove it. He watches as she stretches a hand over her shoulder to her back and pulls the top over her head, revealing a red lacy bra underneath. All coherent thought leaves him as he zeroes in on her chest, softly placing his hands on her breasts, closing his eyes as she feels so nice, so warm, her breasts filling his hands just right. His eyes flutter open as he feels the material loosen and drift away, revealing her bare, beautifully formed mounds. He cups them gently, rolling the nipples between his fingers, eliciting an erotic moan from her. He moves closer to her, going in for another kiss, his hands never leaving her.

Their eagerness to be together intensifies as they hurriedly shed the rest of their clothes, relishing in the feel of skin on skin, hands grabbing, pulling, touching, lips locking, tongues colliding and finally bodies connecting in the most intimate, sensual, stimulating way.

Much later, they are resting in each other's arms, totally exhausted, more than ready to get some much needed sleep.

Right before they drift off, Rick calls her name softly. She snuggles closer to him with a "Hmmm?"

"I love you," he announces. "I didn't think I'd ever feel this way again, but I do. I love you."

She smiles as she looks up at him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you, too. I'm tired of fighting it and you're obviously not going anywhere so…"

His body shakes with laughter. "Oh, I'm not, huh?"

"No, coz I'm not going anywhere either. I'm going to stay right here with you and Carl and Judith and the rest of our family," she states.

"Our family?" He asks.

"Our family," she repeats.


	17. Coveted Chapter 17

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Coveted (Chapter 17)

**A/N: This is a request from literaturechick. Hope you enjoy this.**

_The hour is past midnight and Michonne can't help but worry as Rick has yet to arrive home or call. She hates to be a worry wart and she refuses to call him although she has picked up the phone several times. She assumes he is working a case and is too busy to call home. That happens a lot, but not so often that it would cause a problem between them. They have to be understanding as they both have demanding careers, her as ADA (Assistant District Attorney) and him as Sheriff, both of King's County, GA._

_She barely hears the garage door opening, announcing his arrival. She sighs heavily, thankful that he is finally home and safe. She sits in bed, trying to wait patiently but he is taking too long, so she gets up and quietly walks down the stairs to the kitchen just as he is entering from the garage. She smiles as she drinks him in with her eyes. Eleven years of marriage and she is still very much in love with her husband._

_He returns her smile albeit tiredly as they meet in the middle of the kitchen and hug each other. "I'm sorry. There was an accident on 49 and…." He is silenced as she puts a finger to his mouth with a shake of her head._

"_No explanation needed. I'm just glad you're home and you're safe," she tells him. "You haven't eaten, have you?"_

_He drops his head with guilt. "I haven't even thought about it." _

"_You want to go up and take a shower? I'll heat dinner up for you," she offers._

"_Babe, I know you're tired, so…" Rick begins._

"_Never too tired for you. Go on. I'll be even sweeter and bring it up to you if you want." She smiles._

"_What did I do to deserve you?" He asks._

_They share a short meaningful kiss as Rick walks tiredly up the stairs and Michonne busies herself in the kitchen._

_Later, they are cuddled in bed together, trying to relax enough to fall asleep. He nuzzles her neck, softly. "Thank you. You always take care of me."_

_Michonne agrees softly, running her fingers through his hair. Not long after that, she is wondering how they went from cuddling to lovemaking in such a short span of time. She smiles and tells herself her husband is just skilled like that._

She moans softly and pops awake. _Rick?_ She realizes she was dreaming about him, her worries manifesting into her sleep. She sighs heavily and nestles in between their two sleeping boys, Carl on her left and Andre on her right. Nine year old twins. She closes her eyes again and drifts back to sleep.

"_Rick?! Where are you?! We have to go!" Michonne is frantic. She knows the yelling will only attract them, but she can't find him. She only walked away for a bathroom break and now he's not where she left him…them. Where is he? She hears a scream and tears off in the direction from whence the sound originated. The scene she runs upon rips her heart out. Rick is almost surrounded as he practically tosses the boys away from him. "Get them! Save them!" He yells before….._

Michonne snaps up, clutching at her chest. She is sweating profusely and can barely catch her breath as her dream comes to the forefront of her mind. She shakes her head vigorously, trying to make the images disappear. _Lord, please….._ She gasps as she detects movement in the chair in the corner. She looks over to see her husband slouched down in the chair, staring at her in silence.

She races over to him, going down on her knees in front of him, searching his eyes. "You're back. Thank God." She pulls him to her and hugs him tightly, not caring that he is covered in blood, guts, and who knows what else as the familiar metallic smell drifts to her. She moves back to search him more thoroughly, not having much success in the dimly lit room. "Are you ok? Rick, what's wrong? You aren't saying anything."

"We lost another man today. Gibson. He had a wife and a daughter. Do you know that makes three in one month? I should be used to it by now, but…." He holds his head down, tired.

Michonne gathers him to her. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, babe." She pauses, knowing he won't want to hear what she has to say, but she can't resist. "It's this place. I swear it is. Something's just not right here. We should leave…"

"And go where? I can't take my children out there again. Live out in the elements among those things. We were barely surviving when we found this place. It's not the best, but it's better than being out there." Rick is adamant.

Michonne remains silent. She doesn't want to argue nor add to his stress.

"You were having bad dreams again, huh?" He asks.

She nods slowly. "I think it's when you're not here with me. I worry more."

"I know and I'm sorry, but I've got to pull my weight around here," he informs.

She sighs. "You're doing more than pull your weight. Why is it you're the only one who has been on every single run since we got here?"

"He made me lead on runs, so….." Rick trails off as Michonne interrupts.

"That doesn't mean you have to go out each time. You're going to have to start alternating with me or assigning someone else to take the lead. It's only right." She pauses as Rick nods. She pushes his hair back from his face. "Come on. I'll help you get cleaned up." She stands and offers her hand.

The next day presents better circumstances for the Grimes family or so it would seem. Rick is able to spend time with the boys while Michonne is assisting Milton, Woodbury's equivalent to a scientist, with one of his many projects. He is in between jobs as the Governor came to retrieve him for some other venture a few minutes ago. It gives her a much needed break and her mind can't help wondering to the past and her dream last night. That was the last good night she and Rick had together before everything went haywire. Some sort of virus or disease broke out and changed people into flesh eating monsters. She recalls driving by the local funeral home the next day and seeing corpses that had come back to life walking around aimlessly. They didn't know it at the time, but no matter how you die, if the brain isn't destroyed, you come back. You come back mindless and hungry for human flesh.

She, Rick, and the kids got out with their best friend Shane. They met others along the way and formed a group. They had to learn pretty quickly how to survive and how to deal with this threat. The journey has been hard and grueling, but they're still here.

She reaches over and touches her katana, her weapon of choice. Rick laughed at her when they were raiding a pawn shop and she noticed the sword in what had to be the owner's office. She was just drawn to it for some reason, so she grabbed it and it hasn't left her presence since. Using it every day, slicing up walkers all day has made her more than proficient with the weapon. She laughs now as Rick picked up a red handled machete not long ago. She is sure her katana inspired that decision.

The noise of the door opening draws her away from her memories. She looks up to see the Governor walking in, smiling at her. She cringes as he closes the door behind him, alerting her that he is alone.

"Milton will be in shortly. I just wanted a few minutes to go over something with you," he tells her.

She watches him like a hawk. "Ok."

"We have something good here with this place. You agree?" He asks.

Michonne nods cautiously.

"Well, I want to make it even better, so I need someone strong, someone resilient by my side, in my life. I need a woman like you." He waits for her reaction.

"Blake, I'm married. Happily married. I'm not going to be with anyone but my husband," Michonne states, hoping he will get the picture and leave her alone. She hasn't shared any of this with Rick, but she feels she will need to promptly as this man is getting bolder and bolder.

"And what would you do if your husband weren't here anymore?"

Immediate rage incites her to stand up, grab her katana, unsheathe it, and hold it to the Governor's throat, all before he hardly had a chance to blink. She narrows her eyes at him, menacingly. "Was that a threat against my husband?"

The Governor recognizes the killer in this woman as he raises his hands slowly. "That's not what I meant at all. It was a hypothetical question." He can feel the blade prick his skin, a small trail of blood trickling down his throat.

She kicks the chair she was sitting in out of her way and walks backward to the door, never taking her eyes off of him, still holding her katana at the ready. "You leave me and my family alone or you _will_ regret it."

She slams the door open and walks out of the office, running to the apartment she shares with her family.

Rick is serving the boys lunch when she walks in. "Hey, I wasn't expecting you for lunch. I'll have to…" He takes one look at her and knows something is wrong. "Boys, sit here and eat. Mom and I need to talk."

They move off to their bedroom and close the door.

Michonne paces from one end of the room to the other. "We have to leave and we have to leave now. I just pulled my sword on Blake. He…"

"What?! Why would you do that?"

"He indirectly threatened you." She informs Rick of what she has been dealing with for the last month or two with Blake coming on to her and making subtle hints. "Today he asked me flat out to be with him and he asked what I'd do if you weren't here anymore. We have to leave. That man is dangerous and now, I'm thinking it's no coincidence that he has insisted you go on these runs. We need to gather the others and find out who wants to leave with us and just go."

"Babe, where are we going?" He moves over to her and cups her face, willing her to look at him, so they will be on one accord when they make a decision.

"What about that place you and Daryl found? The prison?"

"I told you it's overrun," Rick reminds her.

"You said if we had enough ammo, we could take it. Maggie and Glenn work the supply store. They could get what we need. Blake is going to have to deal with me. What I did today is punishable by banishment. He'll hold a meeting or whatever. That gives us two days tops before he kicks me out of here. We can gather what we need and get the hell out," Michonne suggests.

"Do you really think it's going to be that easy? He's just going to let us walk away?"

"Well, somebody's gonna die and it's not going to be you."

Rick recognizes that tone in his wife's voice. She is now on a mission and he'd better get in line or risk sabotaging everything. "Ok, we're doing this, but we need to talk to the others first. Blake is probably sending men to retrieve you right now, so we'll have to…." He trails off as there is a knock at the front door.

He can hear the boys moving in the kitchen area, probably to answer it. He moves quickly to the bedroom door, opens it and yells, "Boys, leave the door to me!" He then retrieves something from a nearby dresser drawer.

Walking over to his wife, he places a hand at the small of her back and offers her a pocket knife. "They're going to take your weapon, but you're not going in defenseless. Take it just in case."

She accepts it as the two of them move through the apartment to the front door. Rick answers it to find Martinez and Shumpert on the other side.

"The Governor sent us…" Martinez begins.

Michonne steps forward. "I know. You don't have to say anything. I'll cooperate."

"We're not here for you. The Governor wants to see you, Rick," Shumpert informs.

"What? Wait. No, he's not going anywhere," Michonne tells them.

Rick sighs and places his hands gently at his wife's waist, moving her aside. Michonne looks up into his eyes and knows she shouldn't argue. She steps behind him and quickly places the small knife in his back pocket.

The kids didn't miss any of it, so they rush to their mother's side, knowing that something is not quite right. Rick turns to face them, plastering a smile on his face. Michonne reaches out and fists his shirt, finding it hard to let go.

"I'll be back soon, ok? Take care of your mom while I'm gone." He places a hand over his wife's and prompts her to let him go.

Michonne does so reluctantly as she kisses him quickly and watches as he faces Martinez and Shumpert and leaves with them. As soon as they are gone, she springs into action with the help of her boys. They are both more than proficient with guns and knives, so she arms them with both, then packs up what she can for her family and leaves for Maggie and Glenn's place.

An hour later, the group is together and Michonne has informed them of everything. Shane agrees that they should leave. He senses something off with the Governor and Woodbury as well. They devise a plan to split into two groups. Shane will lead team 1 (Maggie, Glenn, Beth, Herschel, Carol, and the twins) and Daryl will lead team 2 (Tyreese, Sasha and T-Dog). Maggie and Glenn will hit the supply store to retrieve the ammo then Tyreese will make a way for them to escape through a back exit. It's up to Michonne to try and get to Rick and get him out and meet Daryl, Tyreese, Sasha, and T-Dog. Shane will get team 1 out and head to a nearby shopping plaza as the meet up point. If the others aren't there in a day's time, team 1 is to move on to the prison and take it. The plan is to be executed first thing in the morning.

Michonne leaves the twins with Herschel, Carol, and Beth as she seeks out the Governor to find out what is going on with Rick. She meets Martinez on the way who abruptly tells her that Rick is being held in the community jail. Of course, no valid reason was given, but Michonne knows all of this stems from Blake's so called infatuation with her. She arrives at the office building where the makeshift jail exists, noting that it is being guarded by two men she is not familiar with. She inquires of the Governor's whereabouts and is told he is inside, interrogating the prisoner.

"Interrogating the prisoner?" She scoffs. "Excuse me, my husband is not a prisoner. Let me by so I can see what's going on."

"Can't do that. We were given strict instructions. No one in or out unless the Governor ok's it." One of the men informs her.

"Well, do you think you could trouble yourself to go and ask him if I can see my husband?" Michonne is quickly losing patience. She narrows her eyes as the man reluctantly enters the building, closing the door firmly behind him.

Meanwhile, the Governor is propositioning Rick who is behind bars and wondering how he is going to make his escape.

"It's quite easy really. I'll let you and the boys live. All you have to do is leave here. Just walk away," the Governor tells him.

"You expect me to just leave my wife here with you, so you can do God knows what to her?" Rick is trying not to let his anger get the best of him. He knows he has to keep a level head to deal with this man's degree of insanity.

"Believe me she'll be in good hands. I always take care of my women," the Governor returns.

"But she doesn't want to be with you, so what are you gonna do? Force her?" Rick asks.

"She'll come around. They always do." The Governor smiles as if he knows something Rick doesn't.

Just then, the guard walks in and whispers to the Governor who looks over to Rick and says, "Excuse me" and proceeds to follow the guard outside.

Michonne is beyond pissed as she walks away from the Governor. He promised her that she would be able to see Rick tomorrow. He also warned her that if she caused any problems what that would mean for her husband.

Her frustration level is at an all-time high but she manages to stay busy helping the others with the preparations for their escape. Later, she makes her way back to the twins, assuring them that their dad is ok. That night, she couldn't get any sleep, so she kept watch, looking out over Woodbury from Herschel and Beth's apartment. Unbeknownst to her, Rick is wide awake as well, wondering what tomorrow will bring.

The next morning, everyone is up bright and early and ready to execute their plans. Team 1 follows Tyreese toward the rear area of Woodbury, keeping low and quiet as they make their escape. Once Tyreese sees them off, he joins Sasha, Daryl and T-Dog to wait for Rick and Michonne, all of them hiding on an old bus by the escape exit.

Michonne arrives at the jail, waiting patiently to see Rick. The Governor is already there and escorts her inside.

"You're going to have to leave that right here outside the door and I'll have to check you for other weapons." The Governor informs her as he reaches for her katana.

She hurriedly removes it herself, placing it on a desk by the door that is separating her from her husband. She turns to him and says, "Don't you dare put your hands on me. I don't have any other weapons. You're just going to have to take my word for it."

The Governor is slightly flustered as he is quickly losing patience with Michonne. He's not used to being rebuffed, but he has plans for her. She'll be begging for more in no time flat he tells himself. He grabs her by the arm, holding tight as she tries to jerk away, and leads her into the holding area.

She rushes over to Rick as soon as she lays eyes on him, reaching through the bars to hold him and kiss him. He assures her that he is fine as he returns her affection as best as he can.

"Well, I'm glad you two got that in as it will be the last time you'll see each other or touch each other again," the Governor states.

Michonne turns around to face him, shielding Rick with her body. "You're going to let my husband out of here….right now."

"Oh, that's no problem at all. He and your boys will be leaving today, but you, my beautiful Nubian Queen, you get to stay here…with me by my side." The Governor watches her with a knowing sneer on his face. He walks over to her slowly, looking down at her, undressing her with his eyes. "Let's just show Rick what he's going to be missing from here on out."

He grabs her by the arm, pulling her away from her husband and slams his mouth against hers.

Rick shakes the bars with rage as he yells for the Governor to let her go.

Michonne tries to yell and almost gags as the Governor forces his tongue into her mouth. She bites down as hard as she can, drawing blood then finds herself flying across the room as he backhands her. She lands against a desk and quickly turns around to face him as he is on her before she can clear her head. She can hear Rick yelling and rattling the bars in his anger and helplessness.

The Governor laughs as he gropes her breasts, moving his hands down to her waist, her hips. He reaches for her belt buckle, but Michonne punches him in the face and moves to land another blow, but the Governor grabs her arm and twists it behind her back. She cries out with the pain, but doesn't stop fighting. She kicks at him and uses her free hand to the best of her ability. Her eyes widen as he grabs her by the throat with one hand and releases her arm to unbutton his pants with the other, revealing his stiffened manhood.

_Oh my God! NO!_ She fights with everything she has, trying to get away from him, but he holds fast. She claws at his hand at her neck as he is cutting off her air supply and she is growing weak. She feels her shirt being ripped from her body and then his hand moves down to her belt buckle again. She takes the heel of her hand and slams with all of her might into his nose.

He staggers back for only a moment, but it allows her to breathe in deeply, gaining some of her momentum back. Her head explodes with pain as he punches her in the face, splaying his hand across her chest and slamming her back against the desk. She grabs at his other hand as he goes back to working on getting her pants off. Mustering all of her strength, she pulls her knees toward her chest, simultaneously knocking his arms away, and plants her feet in his stomach. She pushes off with everything she has and sends him sprawling in Rick's direction.

Rick reaches out and grabs him around the neck, holding on for dear life as the Governor struggles to be released. He squeezes with all of his might to ensure the sick bastard can't call for help.

Michonne lifts herself off the desk and reaches down in her boot for the knife she placed there this morning. She is silent and her look is lethal as she walks over to the Governor and stabs him in the stomach.

Rick reaches up quickly to cover his mouth, stifling any noise he makes. They both watch as he slowly slips down to the floor in a sitting position, holding his wound.

Michonne grabs the keys from his belt and unlocks the door, freeing Rick. He pulls her into a quick hug, noting her busted lip and bleeding nose. He removes his shirt as he is wearing a t-shirt underneath and covers his wife protectively.

"We have to go. The others are waiting for us," Michonne tells him. They both look down at Blake, suffering as the blood slowly seeps from his body. He makes a horrid gurgling noise as he looks to them, begging them with his eyes.

Michonne moves to the door, putting her ear to it to listen before she opens it and grabs her katana. She stands over Blake, frowning as she notes that his manhood is still exposed. She unsheathes her katana as she hears Rick call her name cautiously. In one swing, she reduces Blake to eunuch status, castrating him mercilessly. He can barely scream as blood pools in his mouth and he collapses completely to the floor.

She looks to her husband. "Let's go."

"We can't leave him like this. He'll turn," Rick informs.

"Exactly," Michonne states. She turns her back to him, moving to the door.

Rick places a hand on her arm. "Babe, there are innocent people here. They don't deserve this. He was the bad one, not them."

She looks back at him, realizing that he is right. She nods slowly as he takes her katana from her hand. She keeps her back to them as she hears Rick put the sword through Blake's skull.

At least two hours later, they are reunited with the others at the meet up point. Rick and Michonne hug their boys tightly, thankful that their family is together again. They do the same with the others and decide to push on to the prison, putting as much distance as possible between them and Woodbury.

Michonne is downtrodden, but hopeful once she gets a good look at the prison. Walkers are rambling through the overgrown grass and the look of desertion is desolate, but it has fences that can keep the walkers out. If they can take it, they can make this place work for them. She is sure of it.

The group makes their way down the hill cautiously as Glenn cuts his way through the fence. Everyone crawls through quickly and takes a breath as Tyreese uses cable wire to secure the cut in the fence. They make their way to another gate and assess the prison yard full of walkers.

Rick looks even further up the hill to the main gate leading to the actual building of the prison. He notes the crowded courtyard and realizes he has to get to that gate and close it securely so more walkers won't make their way into the main yard. He tells everyone the plan, placing teams of two in different guard towers to start clearing the yard. "I'll go for the gate."

"I'm coming with you," Michonne tells him. She's using her no argument voice, so Rick does just that. He doesn't argue. He admires her tenacity as she unsheathes her katana, getting ready. Herschel is there to open the gate for them as they move into the yard, Michonne in front of Rick slicing a clear path for him as they make their way to the gate and Rick secures it. He makes his way into the guard tower as Michonne continues to cut the walkers down efficiently.

In no time at all, the yard is full of dispensed walker corpses. They have secured the prison yard. Michonne laughs as she hears T-Dog let out a victory yell. Shane rushes over to her and gives her a hug as Rick joins them. She smiles at them both and says, "We did it."

The boys come racing over, grabbing onto their parents in their excitement. Rick looks on, feeling secure for the first time in a long time.


	18. Coveted Part II Chapter 18

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Coveted Part II (Chapter 18)

The next day, they are preparing to push inside the prison. Rick splits them into two groups just as Michonne had before. Team 1 consists of Rick, Michonne, Maggie, and Glenn while Team 2 consists of Shane, Tyreese, Sasha, and Daryl. The twins, along with Herschel, Carol, T-Dog, and Beth will watch the perimeter and the entrance gate.

The two teams assess the number of walkers in the courtyard, Rick warning all of them to stay in formation and never to break rank. T-Dog and Carol are there to open the gates and close them as soon as the two teams press their way inside. The teams are back to back to face the threat on all sides, slowly making their way through the throng of walkers. Daryl notices a smaller area off the courtyard where the fence is partially opened. Without thinking, he dashes over to the fence to close it, breaking rank. Shane yells out, but quickly closes the gap with the other two, all of them still fighting. The gate closed tightly, Daryl makes his way back to his team. Several minutes later, the courtyard is cleared. They immediately pile the walker bodies off to the side to be burned later.

Tyreese faces the smaller area off the courtyard. "We should clear this area too, then push into the cell block."

Everyone agrees as they prepare for another onslaught, this time allowing only a few walkers out at a time to take them down. Hours later, they are finally inside cellblock C, cleaning out cells and preparing to rest for the night. Michonne and Rick are getting the boys settled into their claimed bunks, shaking out the linens as best as they can. The boys sit on the floor and pull what little food they have left out of their backpacks. Rick takes note of it, already forming a plan to explore the rest of the prison.

"Dad, are you gonna let us help tomorrow?" Andre asks.

"Yeah, we're old enough to help out," Carl insists.

Rick looks to his wife who just raises her eyebrows letting him know the decision is all his. "Let's just get some rest. We'll decide on that in the morning, ok?"

After kissing her boys goodnight, Michonne moves over to the cell next to theirs to make it more habitable for her and Rick. She notices as he walks out of the boys' cell into the common area and drops to a sitting position on the floor, his back against the wall. He closes his eyes and seems to breathe heavily with relief.

She quickly finishes up her task and walks over to take a seat beside him. She grabs his hand, ignoring the dried blood on hers and his, and squeezes softly. "We're here. We're safe."

Rick nods, looking over to give her just a hint of a smile. "I'm glad, but you know we still have a lot of work to do."

"I know. I'll be ready," she tells him. She looks around cautiously, making sure no one is lingering about. She turns her attention back to her husband and slowly peels herself from the wall and straddles him.

Rick can't help but blush. "Babe, what are you doing? I know you're tired because I am."

"Never too tired for you." She leans closer to him, whispering in his ear. "I want you so bad right now. Let me do all the work." She pulls his earlobe into her mouth, biting it gently. "Please."

"Where can we go?"

"The showers are in the back. Surely we can find a stall or something." She laughs as Rick grabs her ass with a squeeze.

"Let's go."

Morning comes all too soon as Rick and Michonne are awakened by their two active boys, ready to start the day. The group meets in the common area to form an exploration plan and to share a meager breakfast of stale protein bars, some dry granola, and water.

Tyreese, Herschel, and the twins are tasked with finding the infirmary and procuring needed supplies, Carol and Beth volunteer to continue cleaning out cellblock C, Daryl and Sasha will be on perimeter watch while Rick, Michonne, Maggie, Glenn, Shane, and T-Dog will explore cellblock D in search of food and other supplies. Everyone, save for Daryl and Sasha, is to meet back in cellblock C within an hour, no later than two.

The first corridor they encounter is pitch black, so Rick, Glenn, and Shane use flashlights to lead the way. They keep close as they round corner after corner, stepping over half eaten corpses, human remains, and bones. Glenn is marking their path by spray painting arrows at every turn. Rick leads them down yet another dark hallway, ready to make a turn. The growls and shuffling feet alert them to the threat before they actually lay eyes on the small group of walkers coming their way.

"Go back. Everybody get back," Rick orders as the group moves back in the direction they came.

Maggie lets out a small squeal as more walkers start piling out of another hallway, forcing them to take an unmarked turn.

T-Dog notices a door secured with handcuffs, so he quickly breaks the cuffs and everyone hurries inside.

Shane takes a nearby broom and shoves it through the door handles in an effort to keep it closed and the walkers out. Glenn and Rick grab a couple of tables and barricade the door.

Michonne and Maggie take a breath and look around, noticing the table benches, overflowing garbage cans, a soda dispenser and realize they have found a cafeteria.

Maggie points to a caged area. "That might be the kitchen. Let's see if there's any food in there." She and Michonne move in that direction but stop once they realize the area isn't empty. Mistaking the movement for walkers, they raise their weapons to strike only to observe 5 men and a female slowly emerge from the caged area.

All of them are dressed in denim jumpsuits except the female has obviously cut off the legs of her jumpsuit and has it unzipped to the waist revealing a white tank top cut in half. Her lack of mammary glands alerts Maggie and Michonne to the type of female she is.

A dark haired guy with a mustache steps forth. "Who the hell are you and how'd you get in here?"

Rick and Shane immediately brandish their weapons and move over to Michonne and Maggie.

The female inmate steps forth with a smile. "Who cares? Look how handsome those two are." She waves at Shane and Rick who look at each other, noticing that something is a little off about this particular female.

"We came in here searching for food. Any here?" Shane asks.

The female steps closer to him. "Why of course. Just follow me."

"Sit your ass down, Brandy. They ain't going nowhere. That food is ours. Try your luck in the other mess hall," the dark haired man advises.

Rick realizes this is a waste of time and they need to move back to cellblock C as they are approaching the two hour mark. "We need to go." He faces T-Dog and Glenn at the door. "Everybody get ready. We're gonna have to fight our way out."

The female inmate pretends to pout. "Don't leave just yet handsome."

Michonne rolls her eyes as she prepares to take on more walkers.

Thirty minutes later, they are back in cellblock C. Everyone made it back safely but Rick's group is empty handed and dealing with the inmates who followed them.

Maggie and Michonne choose to go to their cells and let the men handle the inmates.

"So, you're telling me that some kind of sickness broke out and people that are dead are coming back to life and eating the living people?" A blonde haired inmate named Axel asks.

Shane and the others nod.

"Man, that sounds like a bad movie or something. Y'all got to be joking." Tiny, a tall and stocky man, inputs.

"Go outside and have a look for yourselves," T-Dog suggests.

Rick decides to take a break and seek out Michonne. She is in the boys' cell, helping to sort out the medical supplies they found in the infirmary. Once she sees him, she meets him at the door to find out what was going on with the inmates. Rick clues her in quickly, wanting her opinion on his decision.

"Why would we even negotiate with them? We'll just take what we need," she states.

Rick gives her a questioning look. "That's not how I want to handle this."

"Rick, they're inmates. You have to gain the upper hand. If one of them dies, so be it," she returns.

He narrows his eyes at his wife, not liking the cold, heartless way she is analyzing the situation. He knows they have been through a lot and there is no way he is putting his trust in anything those inmates tell him, but he doesn't want to just flat out kill them either. "I'm going to help them clear the cellblock in exchange for food. I think that's what's best."

He can see his wife doesn't like it, but she agrees.

An hour later, half of the cafeteria food has been brought to cellblock C and they move to cellblock A to start clearing it out. Glenn suggested that the inmates be housed as far away from them as possible.

Tomas sidles up to Michonne with a smile. "So, what's your name? You know it's been a long time since….." He trails off as Michonne moves on up ahead of him. "Bitch!"

Rick stops and points his machete in Tomas' face. "Watch the way you talk to my wife. Now apologize."

"Your wife? Hey, Hoss I didn't mean no harm. Sorry," Tomas apologizes quickly. He narrows his eyes menacingly once Rick turns his back and continues to move forward.

Cellblock A is in pretty bad shape, but they push their way in, trying to school the inmates as they go. In the end, Tiny and Oscar are bitten by walkers and Shane informs Tomas that he needs to shoot them or stab them in the head before they turn.

"Man, you didn't say nothing about nobody dying clearing out this cellblock!" Tomas shouts at Rick.

"What the hell did you expect? We told you what we're dealing with. This shit is life and death," Rick shouts back.

"This is all your fault," Andrew says. "We never should've listened to your bullshit."

T-Dog shakes his head. "The cellblock is cleared. Take it or leave it."

"I think I'm gonna leave it. Why can't we hole up in C just like you doing?" Tomas asks.

"That ain't the deal, man. We already talked this over," Shane reminds him.

"This our house. We do what we want and if we want C back, then that's what's gonna happen," Andrew states.

Tomas lifts his hand, brandishing a gun in Rick's face. "You got a problem with that Hoss?"

Before anyone could utter a word, Michonne counters upward with her sword, severing Tomas' hand.

Rick looks to his wife in complete surprise before giving his attention to the screaming man in front of him who drops to his knees, holding his bleeding handless wrist.

Brandy and Andrew race over to Tomas, then turn on Michonne. She cuts them both down in two swings.

Rick grabs his wife by the waist and hauls her out of there before anyone else dies by her hand. Once they are out in the courtyard, he releases her. "What the hell was that?"

"You have to ask? Was I supposed to let him shoot you? Was I supposed to let them hurt me?" She wants to know.

"No. I just thought we could talk them down or…"

"Talk them down?" She scoffs. "This is not the time for negotiation. Do you think they were going to hesitate to kill us? They went back on the deal you made with them, so they couldn't be trusted. I hope Shane finishes off the last two."

Rick is at a loss. He understands everything his wife is telling him, but it scares him. At the end of the day, it's still a human life in question. He decides that now is not the time to have this conversation with her. He'll wait until later tonight when she has had ample time to calm down.

Shane made the decision to put down the other inmates just as Michonne knew he would. Rick realizes he is going to have to talk with his wife and his best friend.

Later that night, he and Michonne are lying in bed when he opens the topic.

"I understand what you did today seemed necessary to you, but I want you to consider something if we're ever faced with another situation like that. Do you want our boys to kill first and ask questions later? We have survived this long for a reason. There's not many of us left and if we just start picking each other off, how will we ever be able to rebuild humanity?"

Michonne considers his words. "I can't find a balance. You can thank Woodbury for that. You didn't see it, but I could. It was the same way with the inmates. They took a stand, trying to intimidate us, kill us if need be, so in my mind it was us or them. What would you have me choose?"

Rick sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Well, we're going to have to find a balance. It's the only way."

She looks directly into his eyes. "There isn't anything in this world that can keep me from putting you and the boys first. Remember that." She kisses him quickly, letting him know that she is not upset, but she wasn't ready to give up her way of thinking.

The very next day, everything Rick was trying to tell her the night before comes crashing down on her when the boys asked what happened to the inmates. She never lies to her children, so she relayed to them exactly what took place. She is not proud of herself, but in her mind it had to be done. She almost falls apart when Andre tells her he wishes that he could have helped her take them down. Carl agrees with his brother. For some reason, that bothered her. It was one thing for her kids to kill walkers, but to equate a human life in the same realm as a walker's was disturbing. She sends them off to find their father while she steals away in the showers.

She finds an empty stall and once the door is closed, all of her emotions rise to the forefront and the tears spill over. Her boys are growing cold just like she is and she has to do something about it.

For the next few weeks, the group forges ahead to fortify the prison. On several runs, they have managed to procure at least three vehicles, more food and water, equipment, and any other needed supplies.

Glenn and Daryl are now using post hole diggers to place steel fence parts where the walkers seem to gather and gravitate on the prison fences. It will help to reinforce those areas and hopefully prevent a breach.

Keeping busy and helping the prison to flourish has helped Michonne, Shane, and the twins to appreciate life more. The fact that they haven't had a threat, other than walkers, has helped as well. Rick and Herschel took every opportunity they could to give the boys something to do besides brandishing a weapon. Michonne quickly got on board as she realized the importance of what Rick was trying to tell her. She was also essential in reaching out to Shane as she could see he was on the same path as she was.

The group keeps busy as there is always something to do to enhance their life at the prison. Herschel, Rick, and the twins have started a garden. They're planting vegetables and fruit and seem to be enjoying the work. T-Dog helps out as he and Carol keep the water supply going from a nearby creek. Michonne and Maggie have cleared out the library for everyone's use as they have a love for reading and the latter has taken on schooling the twins. The infirmary has been cleared out as well, so Herschel is passing on his knowledge to anyone who wants to learn. Tyreese and Sasha are helping to build a cover for the courtyard and Shane keeps abreast of their weapons and ammo. They all pitch in for mess hall duty, watch duty, and fence duty (killing walkers on the fence).

More time has passed and the family continues to thrive at the prison. Michonne is in the infirmary with Herschel as she has been feeling ill for the last few mornings.

"I'm not throwing up or anything. I just feel really nauseous and this headache won't go away," she tells him.

"Well, you've been eating regularly, haven't you?" Herschel asks.

"You know I don't miss a meal, so that's not the problem," she laughs.

"Now, I don't want you to panic, but….could you be pregnant?" Herschel watches as she continues to laugh, then looks over at him as the realization comes to her.

"No way. I can't be. Herschel, that cannot be true," Michonne states.

"There's only one way to find out. I think there are some pregnancy tests around here somewhere." He gets up to search for them.

Michonne hops up from the table. "That's really not necessary. I'll just…."

Herschel cuts her off. "Just where do you think you're going? Sit down and get ready to take this test or I'll get Rick in here and he'll make you take it."

Thirty minutes later, Michonne is walking around in a daze. The test revealed that she is pregnant. Herschel congratulated her and told her to run off and tell her husband.

She tries her best not to panic, but this is not the time for a pregnancy. _Is it?_

"So what did Herschel say?"

She jumps at the sound of Rick's voice. He had walked right up on her and she hadn't even noticed. That's how consumed she was.

"Huh? What?" She looks to Rick in confusion.

"I thought you were going to see Herschel about your stomach bug. What'd he say?"

She sighs heavily as she looks into her husband's beautiful blue eyes. "First, I don't know how to feel about this. Second, I put all the blame on you. And third, I'm pregnant." She waits patiently for that last bit of information to sink in.

Rick's eye grow big as he zeroes in on her stomach. "What? You can't be."

Seven and a half months later, they welcomed baby girl Judith to the new world.


	19. The Leader Chapter 19

Richonne (Short Love Stories) The Leader (Chapter 19)

**A/N: Another request from Babe Malf. Hope you enjoy.**

Michonne was in a fight for her life. She ignores the pain as the Governor slams her against the wall, palming her face before shoving her head first into an aquarium of heads, walker and human. He tries to pull her away, but she grabs onto the aquarium making it crash to the floor. He releases his hold on her in the confusion. She sputters and coughs, trying to free her lungs of water, breathing in as deeply as she can. Her katana is within reach so she moves toward it, crawling on her belly, feeling the scrape of glass against her forearms, her exposed midriff, and even poking through her pants.

A fingertip had just touched the hilt of her sword when she feels the Governor's arm snake around her neck, choking her. She claws at his arm, but can't get him to relinquish his relentless hold. She gasps for air, desperate not to pass out. She eyes a piece of glass still intact on the box of the aquarium. She grabs it, ignoring the pain as the glass cuts into her fingers, her fingerless gloves useless in the moment. She shoves the shard blindly toward his face, feeling relief at his scream of pain and the ability to breathe. Quickly, she retrieves her katana, tossing the sheath over her shoulder, and points it toward the Governor.

He rests against the wall, the shard of glass protruding from an eye, his whimpers and moans of pain audible. "Don't….don't kill me."

Michonne drives her sword into the middle of his forehead as if he hadn't spoken at all. She moves to a full stance and watches as the life flows from his body. Assured that her mission has been completed, she quietly and stealthily finds her way back to find the group she led there.

She locates them by the train tracks at the entrance/exit of Woodbury. Their leader, Rick, is the first to notice her. He leads with his gun drawn, pointing it at her head.

"Put your hands up," he orders in a harsh whisper.

She reluctantly does as she is told, turning her back to him as he orders her to turn around. The sound of him unsheathing her weapon is distinct in the silence of the night. She rests her back against the train car, feeling the exhaustion trying to overtake her.

He leans down into her face, his eyes boring into hers. "You get what you came for?" He can tell she has been in some sort of fight as the cuts and scrapes on her face, arms, and hands are evident.

"Where are the rest of your people?" She asks.

"They got Oscar," Rick says as Maggie follows with, "Daryl's missing. You didn't see him?"

Michonne looks to Maggie and shakes her head no only to have Rick back in her face again, threatening her.

"If something happens to Daryl, I will kill…"

She cuts him off. "I brought you here to save them."

"Thanks for the help." He backs away but never takes his eyes off of her.

"You'll need help getting them back to the prison or going in there for Daryl. Either way, you need me," she states.

He continues to watch her closely, his breathing heavy and fast. He was about to speak when they hear leaves crunching, alerting them to someone's approach. Rick and Maggie point their guns in the direction of the noise only to see Daryl emerge from behind some trees.

Maggie gasps, "How….how did you get out?"

"Let's go. It's chaos in there. Somebody took the Governor out." He looks pointedly at Michonne as he helps Glenn to his feet and they make their way out of Woodbury.

They travel slowly but soon arrive at the car, everyone loading weapons and bags into the hatchback. Michonne waits off to the side, not sure if she will be welcomed back to the prison or not. Rick looks at her as he closes the hatch and walks over to her, closely.

"We patch you up and you are gone," he tells her coarsely.

She gives him a slight nod and enters the car, resting quietly as they journey through the night.

Two days later, she packs her meager belongings and prepares to leave the prison. Rick and a few others had left earlier going on a run. Maggie is on guard duty and unsure about letting her leave.

"Maybe we should wait until Rick gets back," Maggie suggests.

"No, I'd rather leave now. We both know he doesn't want me here, so this is for the best. Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it," Michonne returns.

"Where will you go?"

"I think I'll try my luck with Woodbury again. There should be a much better atmosphere around that place now." She smiles.

Impulsively, Maggie gives her a hug. "Take care of yourself. If things don't work out, please come back. I don't care what Rick says. Ok?"

Michonne nods, surprised at the quick friendship that developed between her and this young woman. She waves fondly as she makes her way out of the prison gates.

Three months later, Michonne is flourishing and practically running Woodbury with the help of Martinez, Shumpert, and Milton. She made her way back there safely and was quickly hailed, praised, and respected for being the one who got rid of the Governor. She also earned her place as leader for being smart, resilient, and a warrior, never hesitating to step up and do what needs to be done. Under her leadership, the walls have been fortified, they go on runs for food and supplies, not to steal from others, and there are no more pit fights. The people of Woodbury seem to be happier and more willing to contribute to the community's development and survival. She is even taking in new comers. Just one month ago, Tyreese and his sister, Sasha were welcomed.

Meanwhile, at the prison, they have had breach after breach as walkers are getting inside from an unchartered part of the prison. The fences are weakened as walkers continue to gravitate to one particular area. Rick finally has to make the decision to leave. They have no choice as the walker population continues to grow and becomes too much for them to handle.

Unbeknownst to Rick, Maggie and Glenn knew about Michonne taking over at Woodbury. They had unexpectedly met her and a group scouting for supplies a couple of weeks ago. Maggie was more than happy to see her and to find out that she had gone to Woodbury and it had worked out for her. Maggie remembers their conversation as they are packing up to leave.

After they load the vehicles and are ready to travel, Maggie turns to Rick. "I know where we can go. We'll be ok there."

"Where?"

"Just trust me, ok?"

A little over thirty minutes later, the group pulls up to the gates at Woodbury. Rick slams his way out of the truck and walks up to the car where Maggie is seated in the driver's seat.

"Are you crazy leading us back to this place?" He asks.

"It's not like it was before. Please. Just give this a try," Maggie tells him.

Michonne saw them from her perch on the wall. She orders her men to open the gates as she makes her way down to greet them. Maggie leads the group as she notices Michonne at the entrance.

"Hey. I hope you're still taking people in. We need a place to stay. The prison was overrun. Walkers were everywhere, so we had to leave," Maggie informs.

Michonne smiles as she gives Maggie a nod and instructs them to drive their vehicles inside. She notices the frown on Rick's face, but chooses to ignore him.

The next several days are spent helping the new comers become more acclimated to their new living quarters. She allows them to choose where they would like to live and also what jobs they'd like to have. Everyone seems ready to fit in, except for Rick. He chose an apartment for him and his children, but has yet to choose a job. Michonne continues to keep her distance.

The morning hour is early as Michonne is in the garden, practicing with her sword. She has had time to find books and even a few DVDs related to mastering the katana. She is interrupted as she notices a certain brown sheriff's hat hovering over a rose bush by the corner.

"Can I help you with something?" She asks loudly.

The young boy from the prison emerges slowly. "I didn't mean to disturb you. I just….I've seen you out here before and was wondering if I could learn, too."

"That's something you'd have to ok with your dad, Carl," Michonne tells him.

His eyes pop with surprise. "You know my name? You know who I am?"

"It's my job to know who lives here. Anyway, I think it's a great idea, but you should check with your dad first."

He nods and seems reluctant to leave.

"This is awful early for a kid your age. Have you even had breakfast?" She asks.

He shakes his head no.

She smiles. "Well, how would you like an omelet?"

The friendship between Michonne and Carl continues to grow as does her connection with the others from the prison. All save for Rick. They both continue to keep their distance from each other. He finally spoke with Martinez about taking shifts on the wall and maybe going on the next run. Michonne notes that as progress but limits her interaction with him.

She and Carl are at her apartment as she agreed to let him come over and peruse through her book and comic book collection. He is smiling from ear to ear as he sits in the corner, going through the books.

"How did you find so many of them? It's going to take a long time to read them all," Carl realizes.

"I've been picking them up here and there for months now. You can take some with you if you want. I know you'll take care of them," she returns.

There is a knock at the door, so she moves off to answer it. She was still smiling about Carl's excitement when she opens the door. Rick Grimes is on the other side and her smile quickly falters.

"Yes? Can I help you?" She asks.

"Hi. I was wondering if Carl was here. He didn't come home for lunch and Maggie said they only had school for two hours this morning, so….." Rick trails off, giving Michonne an opportunity to answer him.

"He's here. I told him he was welcome to my book collection." She steps aside as she realizes her rudeness in not inviting him in. "Come in please."

Rick steps over the threshold, thanking her as he looks around her apartment.

"He's in here." Michonne guides him to her bedroom as the books and comics were all piled in a corner of the room. She has yet to stack them on a book case as one case is already full and she hasn't procured another one.

Carl and his dad greet each other. "Dad, look at all these books. It'll take me forever to read them."

Rick can't help but smile at his son's animation. He hasn't seen him this excited in a long time. "I was coming to make sure you get some lunch. When you didn't come home…."

Carl cuts him off. "Oh, I'm having lunch with Michonne. I guess I should have asked you about that, huh? Sorry, but is it ok?"

Rick nods. "Sure." He turns to Michonne. "I don't mind if you don't mind."

Michonne is pleasantly surprised as those are the nicest words she has ever heard from this man. "I don't mind at all. You're welcome to stay as well. I have more than enough."

Rick realizes that he actually wouldn't mind having lunch with this woman and his son, so he agrees.

They are all having a snack after their lunch of sandwiches and soup. Michonne and Carl are munching on apple slices while they debate about superheroes. Rick feels a little left out, but is entertained just listening to them. He looks from one to the other and wonders yet again what it is about this woman that stirs him. He wanted to dislike her but realizes he can't. She really hasn't given him a reason to.

"Dad, did you hear me?" Carl asks.

"I'm sorry, son. What was that?" Rick inquires.

"The sword. Michonne will teach me how to use it, but only if it's ok with you, so can I?" Carl's eyes are dancing with excitement. He looks like the boy he was before the world went crazy.

Rick clears his throat as he feels himself getting emotional. "Yes, that's ok with me."

"Thanks Dad." He turns to Michonne. "So, can we start tomorrow?"

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Rick is on the wall, preparing for watch duty as he observes Michonne talking with Martinez. The two of them appear to be close. He knows he helps her keep this place running, but he wonders what else he helps her with. He wants to look away, but can't especially when she laughs at something Martinez says. He swallows as her smile is something to behold, softening her face and enhancing her beauty. He looks away quickly wondering what has gotten into him.

The next morning, he is up early with Carl and Judith as he knows exactly where Carl is headed.

"I thought I'd check out your sword practice this morning, then we could come back here for breakfast before you head off to school," Rick tells his son.

Carl agrees as his only focus is getting to Michonne. They walk over together, Rick feeding Judith a bottle on the way.

Michonne is surprised to see him and the baby, but she doesn't protest as they sit on a nearby bench and watch her practice with Carl.

Almost an hour later, practice is done and Michonne is offering Carl another one of her famous omelets.

"Well, I kinda think my dad wanted me to have breakfast with him, so…" Carl trails off as Michonne approaches Rick.

"Would you like to come over for breakfast? I make an amazing omelet. Maybe some oatmeal for Judith? She's taking table food now, isn't she?" She offers.

Rick can barely contain his smile as he agrees and the four of them move off to her apartment.

Over the next several weeks, Michonne develops a friendship with Rick Grimes. He really seems like a good guy compared to what she witnessed when she first met him. He continues to take shifts for watch duty, volunteers to go on runs before she can ask, and has even started helping with the vegetable and fruit gardens.

For weeks now, a few of the female residents have been pleading with Michonne to give them permission to throw a party. The vibe felt too much like something the Governor would do, but she decides to agree as they haven't had anything remotely close to a celebration of any kind. She feels like it won't do the community any harm and it's ok for them to enjoy themselves every now and again.

She is drawn into the excitement of it all by Maggie, Sasha, and Beth. She has grown closer to the people from the prison and she can only smile as she realizes Rick and Carl are the reason behind it.

The night of the party has arrived and she is in her apartment, putting the finishing touches on her hair and makeup. She chose a flowing red jersey dress that clings in all the right places. One of the good things about Woodbury is that there was an abandoned clothing store in the barricaded area. They found all kinds of clothing items boxed up in a back storage room. The dress was one of her finds. She smiles at herself in the small bathroom mirror as she goes in search of her shoes.

A knock at the door prompts her to abort that task as she goes to answer it. She smiles with surprise as Carl and Rick, who is holding Judith, are standing at her door, both looking handsome in dress shirts and jeans. Little Judith is wearing a pink dress and matching shoes.

"We'd like to escort you to the party if that's ok?" Rick asks cautiously as he slyly looks her up and down, appreciating the view.

"That would be great. Come on in. I was just putting my shoes on," she tells them as she moves aside to let them in. They stand in the living room area, waiting patiently.

Minutes later, Michonne joins them. "All ready."

Rick takes another opportunity to look at her. "You look great."

She smiles. "So do you. Come on, let's go."

The party is in full swing and everyone really seems to be enjoying themselves. Michonne is talking with Maggie and Sasha, thanking them for all their help in putting the event together.

Sasha takes a sip from her drink, throwing a pointed look at Maggie. "So, you came to the party with Rick, huh?"

Michonne looks at Sasha. "Oh, he and the kids just came over to walk with me."

"Yeah which means you came together," Sasha reiterates.

"What are you getting at Sasha?" Michonne asks.

"What's going on with you two?" Sasha returns.

"I remember when you hated each other," Maggie inputs.

"We're just friends and I never hated Rick," Michonne allows.

"I've never seen him look at his friends like he looks at you," Maggie says with a laugh.

Sasha joins her as Michonne continues to deny their claims.

Meanwhile, across the way Rick is definitely not looking at Michonne like she's his friend. Beth ran off with Judith a while ago and he is trying to get up his nerve to approach Michonne for a dance. Soft instrumental music is playing, but not too loudly as they want to prevent attracting unwanted attention. Martinez notices him checking Michonne out, so he moves over to Rick quietly.

"She's a beautiful woman, huh?" Martinez asks.

Rick quickly composes his expression, almost embarrassed to be caught gawking at her like a teenaged boy with a crush. "Everything ok with you tonight?"

"Yeah, sure. How about you?" Martinez counters.

"Yeah, this party is a nice change for once," Rick is determined to keep the conversation off the subject of Michonne.

"Sure. Look, I'll cut right to the chase. I've been after that ass for months now. If she's going to give it up to anybody, it's going to be me. Got it?" Martinez looks directly at Rick, trying to intimidate him.

Rick scoffs obviously anything but intimidated. "First of all, you shouldn't talk about her like that and second, the choice will be hers, not yours. Enjoy the rest of the party." He moves away from Martinez and makes a beeline straight for Michonne.

Martinez watches with hate in his eyes as Rick leads Michonne onto the makeshift dance floor that Tyreese and Shumpert created with individual plank boards. He silently stews with rage as she spends the remainder of the evening by Rick's side, talking and laughing with him easily.

The next day, Martinez is at her door under the pretense he needs to discuss the next plan for a run. She invites him in as she has done plenty of times before, asking him about his concerns.

He closes the door and faces her in the living room area. "So what's with you and this Grimes dude?"

Michonne is clearly taken aback. "What are you talking about? You said you needed to talk about the run. Has Rick asked to go or something?"

"No, I want to know what's going on with you and him. You two sure were chummy last night," he relays.

"First of all, that's none of your business, you shouldn't concern yourself with who I'm associating with. Second of all, if you don't want to discuss community business, then it's time for you to leave." Michonne is adamant.

"So this guy gets a chance but I don't?" Martinez asks.

"Martinez, we had this conversation months ago. I told you I wasn't interested. End of story, ok?" She walks over to the door and opens it. "Please leave."

He walks to the door slowly, stopping in front of her. He points a finger in her face. "You better not be fucking him."

"Are you threatening me?" She realizes in that moment that she is seeing a side of Martinez he only exhibited outside their walls. He has never directed this aggression towards her, so she better show him better than tell him. She pulls her left arm close to her body and slams him across the face with an elbow.

He lands with a hard thud in the hallway outside her door. He closes his eyes as pain explodes through his face and blood trickles from his busted nose. "You stupid bitch! I'll….." He looks up to find her gone. Before he can lift himself to his knees, she is back, standing before him with her katana in hand.

"You were saying?" The sword doesn't waiver. She is holding it steady and sure, ready to show him how lethal she can be.

He calms down immediately. "I…I'm sorry. I just thought…you and me…."

"You thought wrong. Now go to the infirmary and get yourself patched up." She watches as he gathers his weapon and skulks off.

She prayed that would be the end of Martinez and his misplaced infatuation or whatever he was experiencing but she was wrong. He wasn't brave enough to say anything to her but she noticed two nights in a row that Rick was on watch duty. Martinez handles that schedule and he should know that Rick needs to be on days so he can be home with his kids at night. She sighs heavily as she has to deal with this situation right now.

She finds Martinez and informs him of her observations. "We try to accommodate everyone here and there is no reason he should have to be on night watch."

"He said he didn't mind," Martinez counters.

"Just do what's right and put the man back on day shift." She finalizes the conversation with a look as she moves off to handle other business.

Two nights later, she is enjoying dinner with the Grimes family as Rick invited her the day before. They share stories of what they were doing when they realized the world had changed. Seeing that it was bringing back too many sad memories for all of them, Michonne moves the conversation to the latest movie she had watched. She informs Carl that she will let him borrow her DVD player so he and his dad could take in a few movies.

Hours later, she is beyond flattered as Rick is actually walking her to her apartment.

"You know you really didn't have to do this. I can make it home safely," she teases.

"I know. Just spending a little more time with you. That's all," he returns.

She can't help the excitement she feels with those words. Her stomach does a little somersault as they share a smile. Shortly, they arrive at her apartment. She wants so badly to invite him in, but doesn't want to appear too eager or too obvious. They stand in her open doorway, eyeing each other.

"Well, thanks for the company tonight. I really enjoyed it. Hope we can get together again real soon," he tells her.

She nods. "My place next time, ok?"

He agrees. "Well, goodnight." He leans in cautiously to place a kiss on her cheek. Before he could back away, she turns to connect her lips to his, fisting a hand in his shirt to pull him to her.

Rick quickly moves inside, closing the door behind him, his back connecting with the door as she slams her body against his and continues to kiss him. They moan simultaneously as they taste each other and begin to explore with their hands.

Michonne takes a step back from him, never breaking eye contact. She removes her katana, then proceeds to pull her sweater and tank top over her head, standing before him in a black bra and her jeans, letting him know exactly what she wants.

He steps away from the door, removes his gun belt, then unbuttons his shirt and tosses it to the floor to join her clothes. They come together again in a passionate kiss, moving their way to her bedroom.

Hours later, she is waking him with tiny kisses to his neck and chest. She smiles when he opens his eyes, still unable to believe the incredible connection she has developed with this man. "I hate to wake you, but I don't want Carl wondering what happened to you."

Rick smiles, pulling the sheet away from her to gaze upon her beautiful body. "I'll leave soon. He's completely knocked out right now, so he's not missing me." He starts kissing her neck, caressing her breasts gently.

She shudders with his touch. "Well, if you say so." They continue to make love well into the morning hours.

Rick leaves Michonne's apartment feeling lighter than he has in ages. He smiles as he remembers everything they shared, making his way back to his apartment and his children. Unbeknownst to him, Martinez is watching and he knows exactly where Rick just came from.


	20. The Leader Part II Chapter 20

Richonne (Short Love Stories) The Leader Part II (Chapter 20)

For the next few weeks, Martinez sits back and observes Rick and Michonne spending as much time together as possible. Rick is at her place at least 3 or 4 nights a week and he knows exactly what they're doing. His rage level is at an all-time high and everyone around him notices.

Shumpert decides to call him out on it while they're on watch duty one evening. "You need to chill out, man. You act like you was with her and she's cheating on you with this guy."

"Well, that's what it feels like. Anything she needed done, I was there. In walks Rick Grimes and she's all over him," Martinez sneers.

"Why are you so worried about who she's screwing? You're still fooling around with Angela, right?" Shumpert asks.

"That's beside the point. Angela's just fulfilling a need. Michonne was gonna be it for me, man," Martinez declares. "If I get this Rick dude out of the way, I can still have her."

Shumpert looks at him with a frown. "I don't like the sound of that. Just leave well enough alone. She has had all the time in the world to get with you if she wanted. Obviously that's not what she wants, so let it go."

"Yeah, I'll let it go alright," Martinez professes.

The next day, he deliberately seeks out Rick.

Rick almost cringes when he sees him as Martinez has been throwing daggers his way for a while now. He doesn't understand this man's obsession with Michonne. He scoffs at his own inner dialogue as he realizes exactly why Martinez is obsessed with her. It makes him question if something did happen between them.

"What's up man?" Martinez asks.

"Not much. How bout you?" Rick returns.

"I'm great. Look, I just want to apologize for the way I've been acting towards you. I was wrong. I should just be a man about this and let bygones be bygones. She wants you and that's the end of it. Besides, I've been seeing Angela for a while now and she's pretty cool. I might even make an honest woman out of her." He laughs with a slight smirk.

Rick doesn't fully get why that is funny but he smiles anyway, nodding his head. "Well, I'm sure everyone around here would appreciate something as nice as a wedding."

"Maybe we could even make it a double wedding, huh?" Martinez jokes.

Rick frowns. "Well, um….good talking to you. I'm glad we got that all cleared up."

"Yeah, me too. See ya around." Martinez watches as Rick walks off, heading to the gardens.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Two weeks later, Rick and Michonne are in an open field with Martinez and Milton on a supposed run for a new venture Milton has concocted. Michonne looks around in confusion, taking in the pit filled with walkers and some sort of noise making contraction. She assumes the noise draws the walkers and they fall into the pit. What she doesn't understand is what any of this has to do with Milton's new project.

Martinez explains that the pit is how the Governor trapped walkers for the arena fights and other uses.

"Milton, can you explain to me how this helps with your project?" Michonne asks.

"I'll let Martinez explain everything and I'm really sorry about all this. I just…" Milton stops as Martinez gives him a look.

"That's it Milton. You can wait in the truck," Martinez advises.

Michonne instantly gets an uneasy feeling. She looks to Rick, letting him know to be ready for anything. "What's going on here, Martinez? What is this?"

"Everything was fine until this guy came into the picture," he tells her.

She rolls her eyes. "Not this again. Did you actually drag me out here for some bullshit?"

"Oh, this ain't bullshit. This is me getting what I want once and for all. I'm the one who helped you with Woodbury. I'm the one who's been by your side the whole time and this is how you repay me?" Martinez frowns as he looks from her to Rick. "You get with this asshole. Just like that. He comes in and suddenly you're putting out. Hell, I couldn't get so much as a peek…"

Rick drops his head, then eyes Martinez like a hawk, not trusting him for one second. "I thought you were done with this."

Martinez points his gun at Rick. "You….shut up. This is between me and her."

"This ends right now. I can't believe you brought us out here for this. Get over yourself already. I never lied to you. I never led you on." She looks to Rick. "Let's go."

"You aren't going anywhere. You tell him it's over right now. You tell him you're going to be with me. Otherwise, he dies today and you end up with me anyway," Martinez demands.

"Are you listening to yourself? Rick is not the problem here. Even when he wasn't at Woodbury, I wasn't going to be with you. Why can't you understand that?" Michonne asks.

Rick is convinced that this guy is unhinged. He's like a kid having a tantrum because he can't play with his favorite toy. He watches Michonne, waiting to take her lead.

She reaches for her katana, but Martinez moves forward, slamming the butt of his gun into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She goes down hard, stunned and trying desperately to gain some momentum as she is unable to take several needed breaths.

Rick lunges, his hand at his gun, but Martinez aims his weapon directly at him, stopping him in his tracks.

"You just sit tight. I'll be dealing with you in a minute," Martinez says as he grabs Michonne, pulling her to stand in front of him. He unsheathes her katana and tosses it out of her reach.

Rick can see that she's still in pain and breathless. He watches closely for an opening to get to Martinez.

"Now, I want you to keep your eyes open for this one, ok? I want you to watch your pretty little boyfriend die," Martinez tells Michonne as he pushes her to the side to take aim at Rick.

She drops to her knees, then rounds on Martinez sending a fist into his crotch, a slight smirk of satisfaction crossing her face at his howl of pain.

In his momentary distraction, Rick makes a move, grabbing the gun, trying to wrench it out of his grasp. The two men wrestle over the weapon, Rick finally landing a punch to Martinez's face. The latter staggers back, allowing Rick to gain control over the weapon. Before Rick has a chance to aim it, Martinez dives at him, landing on top of him, Rick's head at the edge of the pit where walkers are clawing the dirt to reach them.

The gun was knocked away as the two men fell to the ground. Martinez immediately grabs Rick by the throat, choking him and pushing his head down toward the walkers. Rick goes for his gun at his side, but Martinez uses his knee to pin his arm. The two men continue to struggle, but Martinez appears to have the advantage as he tightens his hands around Rick's throat. Rick attempts to use his body to throw Martinez off but to no avail.

Milton watches from the truck, wanting to do something but afraid of retribution from Martinez.

Michonne slowly gets her breath back and moves over to them, throwing an arm across Martinez's neck, pulling with all of her might. It gives Rick the small reprieve he needs as he gasps for air and moves away from Martinez and the pit.

Martinez quickly attacks Michonne, trying to incapacitate her, so he can finish Rick off. He throws his head back, connecting with her face. He then turns to confront her, reaching out to grab her by the throat with one hand while the other is raised to land a blow.

The click of the hammer on Rick's python draws Martinez's attention. He shoves Michonne away from him and turns to face Rick.

"You son of a bitch. Put your hands on her again and I'll blow your fucking head off!" Rick shouts.

"It's ok. I'm fine, Rick." Michonne exhales heavily, trying to catch her breath. "You're done, Martinez. You are no longer a part of our community. You're on your own." She wipes some blood from her nose, then looks to Rick. "Let's get out of here."

Rick doesn't waiver as he keeps his gun aimed at Martinez and moves slowly over to Michonne.

"I was running Woodbury before you came back. Me. I kept it going. I let you have that place. Don't you see that? All you had to do was let me in. We were going to run Woodbury together. You aren't supposed to be with him," Martinez states.

Michonne shakes her head as she can't believe how delusional Martinez is. She backs away slowly, tugging Rick's shirt gently.

Martinez makes a sudden move, reaching behind his back, but Rick fires his gun, sending a bullet straight into his forehead.

Michonne can only watch as Martinez crumbles to the ground dead. She looks to Rick who looks back, but remains silent. There is a shift, something in his eyes that brings a frown to her face, but she decides to ignore it. "He was obviously going for a gun. You had no choice."

He holsters his gun and walks to the truck, slamming his way into the driver's seat.

She follows soon after retrieving her katana and the guns, closing the door as she takes a seat on the passenger's side.

"Are we just going to leave his body here?" Milton asks cautiously.

"We should leave you here with it. You plotted with him," Michonne states, unable to look at Milton, her anger and disappointment palpable.

Milton gasps. "Michonne, I…I had no choice. Martinez threatened me and my wife. He told me if I didn't do what he wanted, he'd kill us both."

"So why not come to me and tell me that?" She asks.

"How? He was watching my every move. I couldn't get to you without him knowing it," Milton professes.

Rick starts the truck and makes the decision for all of them as he drives off, leaving Martinez's body sprawled in the dirt.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Later that night, Michonne and Rick are at her apartment seated on the sofa, silent. He hasn't said one word to her since they arrived home. She wanted to protect him so she told the people of Woodbury that she was responsible for Martinez's death. Luckily, Shumpert recalled his earlier conversation with Martinez and reiterated her story, informing them of how unstable Martinez had become. Milton also informed the community of the little he knew.

She reaches over to take Rick's hand in hers. "It's going to be ok. I'm sorry you had to do that today, but he really didn't give you a choice."

"Just another man's blood on my hands because of a woman," Rick states softly.

"What?" Michonne asks.

"Oh, that's right. I never told you how I had to kill my best friend because he wanted to kill me so he could be with my wife. Yeah, they thought I was dead so the two of them got together, had an affair or whatever, she wound up pregnant and didn't know if the baby was mine or his." He scoffs as he removes his hand from hers. "He wanted her so bad, he was willing to kill me for her. That's what Martinez was going to do. He was going to kill me so he could have you and it's got me wondering what I did to deserve this."

"Rick, you had no control over that situation, you…." She stops as Rick cuts her off.

"That's where you're wrong. I knew how he felt about you. Maybe I just should have walked away and none of this would've happened." Rick looks over at her sadly. "I don't think I can do this anymore."

"Do what? You're acting like you did something to create this situation when you didn't. I told Martinez no. I told him I was never going to be with him," she states.

"Did you? Are you sure you and this man didn't have something going on before I came along and maybe that's why he was acting the way he was?"

Michonne tries to quell her anger with that question. She is trying to understand what Rick is going through but he is making it hard. "I never slept with him if that's what you're indirectly hinting at. He was clearly unstable. I don't know how you couldn't see that."

"All I know is someone else just tried to kill me so he could have the woman in my life. Relationships must not be my thang, so I think it's time I walk away."

"You're going to walk away from me…from us?" Michonne asks as her heart kicks into overdrive at the thought of losing him. "Tell me that's not what you mean."

"This….is just not what I need right now."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Michonne finally got the picture loud and clear. Rick didn't want to be in a relationship with her anymore. They hadn't spoken to each other nor had sex for several days. She gave him some space, giving him time to calm down and think things through. When she went to him to talk, it was the same thing. He wasn't as cold and mean as he was when they first met, but the way he acted conjured up the feelings she felt at being treated unfairly by him. She knows she hasn't done anything wrong, but it hurts all the same.

She is doing exactly what she has done for the past few nights, sitting in her apartment, feeling the cloud of loneliness blanket her. She has never felt it this profoundly and she knows it all centers around him._ This is all my fault for getting involved in the first place. Falling in love makes you vulnerable, especially in this world. I've been so stupid._

She starts as there is a knock at the door. A part of her hopes it's Rick, so she can…..She stops the thought right there as she was about to let herself get excited about reconciling with him._ So I can tell him to kiss my ass!_ She gets up from the bed and walks to the door purposefully. Composing herself, she opens it to find Sasha and Maggie. She deflates quickly as she honestly didn't want to confront Rick.

Her friends walk inside and immediately get comfortable in the living room.

"Girl, you better talk to that man of yours. He's walking around with a frown on his face, working all hours of the day and night. Carl told Beth he doesn't think his dad has been eating. What are you going to do?" Sasha asks.

"Absolutely nothing. He broke up with me, so if he's suffering….great. I am, too but I won't be for long," Michonne states.

Maggie sits up. "What does that mean exactly? Are you seeing someone else?"

Michonne scoffs. "No. I'm just not going to worry about it anymore. This isn't the first time I've had my heart broken." She falters as her emotions try to overtake her, but she quells it all down, determined not to let this break her.

She walks into her kitchen, retrieving several items and returns to the living room. "Thanks for being here. Being alone didn't bother me before, but I'm really feeling it now. Anyway, how's about a few drinks?" She holds up a bottle of wine and proceeds to open it and pour generous glasses for herself and her friends.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Michonne continues to see Carl in the mornings for sword practice, but she is missing Judith something awful. It's been days since she has seen her and she just can't force herself to show up at their apartment as she is doing her best to avoid Rick.

"So what's going on with you and my dad?"

Carl's voice jars her out of her reflections. She looks to him with a question in her eyes.

"You? My dad? What's going on? Are you guys not friends anymore?" Carl repeats.

"Is it ok if we don't talk about your dad? I know you have questions, but….just….ask him, ok?" Michonne tells him.

Carl frowns. "I have asked him and he doesn't want to talk about it either."

"Well, I'm sorry. Give me a little more time and maybe we can revisit that topic later." She is about to show him some moves when she notices Rick walking towards them. She closes her eyes as she doesn't want to look at him at all and the panic sets in. "Carl, we'll finish up tomorrow, ok?

"But we're just getting started." Carl's disappointment is tangible.

"I'll make it up to you. I promise." She quickly marches toward the only exit/entrance about to pass Rick without a word.

He reaches out to grab her arm. "Michonne, please, I….."

She looks at his hand on her arm, then up at him. What he sees in her eyes prompts him to drop his hand from her quickly.

"Can we talk?"

"No." She turns her back on him and walks away.

Carl walks over to his father, his emotions evident in the shakiness of his voice. "She's really upset with you. She won't even talk to me about it."

Rick looks towards the heavens as he realizes how genuinely he has screwed up.

For the next several days, Michonne just throws herself into the everyday operations of Woodbury. She has somewhat forgiven Milton and taken more interest in the projects he is working on as he is always looking to improve their water and power sources, planting and growing food, expanding the area to accommodate more farm animals and the list goes on. She had to draw the line with him when he wanted to continue his experiments in understanding and maybe finding a cure for this epidemic they're trying to survive. Harnessing and imprisoning walkers for experiments was just too risky for her.

She is also being bombarded at each turn by Rick's family. She adores them all, but wish they'd leave her alone. The only one who hasn't tried to push her and Rick back together is Daryl. He gives her the space she needs and Carl understands and respects her wishes when she doesn't want to talk about his dad.

She almost caves when she goes to answer her door one Saturday afternoon and it's Beth and Judith at her door. She immediately smiles as Beth greets her.

"I think she misses you, so I just decided to bring her over. I hope that's ok," Beth says.

Michonne reaches for Judith, her heart swelling as she has missed the baby so much. "Hey there, little girl. How are you?"

Beth hands her a bag she assumes is filled with some of the things Judith will need during her visit.

Michonne gives Beth a look as she reluctantly takes the bag.

"He doesn't know she's here if that's what that look is about," Beth tells her. "I'll come back in a couple of hours if that's ok."

"It's fine." Michonne smiles. "Thank you, Beth."

Beth returns her smile and reaches in to close the door as Michonne moves into her living room with Judith.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Michonne has reached her breaking point as Rick refuses to give up. He's not trying to force her to talk to him, but he's letting her know in small, caring ways how sorry he is. One morning she opened her door to find a basketful of fresh strawberries. She told him a while ago how she'd love to eat strawberries again. Somehow he found some seeds and told her he'd save the first batch for her.

A few days later, it was Big Kats and M&amp;Ms, then a bouquet of roses. She broke down and cried when she found comics and books at her door. She is pretty sure he enlisted Carl's help for that endeavor. She is flattered but still not ready to talk to him. She knows if they talk, she'll probably cave and forgive him for everything.

The hour is late, but Michonne is still wide awake and all she can think about is Rick Grimes. Her body is practically feening for him and she wants to scream as her frustration level is extreme. The soft knock at the door makes her pop up to a sitting position. She puts a hand to her chest as her heart starts to thump harder than it ever has before. She just knows it's him at the door. She takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She slowly makes her way to the door, unlocks it and opens it. _Damn. It's him._

He gives her a nod and opens his mouth to speak.

"I don't want to talk." She nearly jumps into his arms as she slams her mouth against his and kisses him passionately.

Rick's arms encircle her as he returns the kiss with equal fervor, moving inside and closing the door. They basically rip the clothes off of each other and fall into bed. He enters her quickly as neither of them can wait as they have been apart way too long.

She moans loudly as he fills her, tears springing to her eyes she missed him, the feel of him so much.

The stillness of the room is filled with heavy breathing, moans, and slight squeaky noises from the bed.

Much later, after their bodies are spent and their breathing is somewhat back to normal, he calls her name.

"The only way you stay here tonight is if you don't say a word," she informs him.

The room is filled with the noise of their breathing and the crickets chirping outside.

The next morning, Rick wakes up to find himself alone in her bed. He rubs the sleep from his eyes and yawns with a huge stretch as he wonders where she is. He assumes she has already left to get her day started as a quick bathroom break and a walk through the apartment alerts him that she is not there. He gets dressed and walks home to have breakfast with his kids, praying that everything will be ok between him and Michonne.

He has grown slightly accustomed to not seeing her over the past couple of weeks as she was actively avoiding him, but he grows concerned when no one else has seen her either. He finishes up in the gardens as it is almost dark and walks over to ask whoever is on watch if they have seen her.

Several people are manning the wall, but he seeks out an older guy named Charles who has been at Woodbury from the start.

"Hey Mr. Charles, how are you?" He inquires.

"Doing fine, son. Doing fine. How about yourself?" Charles asks.

"I'm ok. Thanks for asking. Have you seen Michonne by any chance?" Rick wants to know.

'Oh yeah, she skedaddled out of here before the sun was up. Shumpert let me know when I took my shift earlier," Charles informs.

Rick frowns. "So was she going on a run or something?"

"I'm not sure. That gal can be strange. She used to take off like that when she first got here, but she always came back later in the day or the next day. I suspect she'll be walking up to the gate directly. She'll be back. Anything else you need?" Charles wonders.

Rick shakes his head as he processes the information Charles just gave him. "No. Thank you Mr. Charles."

"No problem, son."

Rick immediately seeks out Shumpert to get more information.

"And you just let her walk out of here by herself? What did she say?" Rick questions.

"What she always says. I'm going on a run. I'll be back. Although I have to say she hasn't done that in a while. She always comes back though. If not tonight, then tomorrow."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Three days later, Rick and Daryl are organizing a small team to search for Michonne. They are spread out near the main entrance with weapons, maps, and other gear, organizing a plan. Rick has been beside himself with worry, knowing that if anything has happened to her, he will blame himself for the rest of his life.

He hears someone call out his name and looks behind him to see Charles waving him over.

"I think your little lady is heading our way," Charles tells him.

Rick climbs up the wall and has a look through a pair of binoculars. Sure enough, it was her making her way back to Woodbury, slicing through walkers as she moves along. He can't contain his relief and excitement as he orders the gates open and takes off running to meet her.

Michonne walks along slowly, a contented smile playing across her lips, blood and guts coating her face, her clothes, and her katana. She stops in her tracks as she sees Rick racing toward her.

He practically skids to a stop in front of her, looking her over worriedly before he pulls her into his arms, hugging her tightly.

"Thank God you're alright," he whispers.

She moves her arms in an effort to get him to release her, noticing Daryl as he walks up behind Rick. "I'm fine. What are you doing out here?"

"About to come looking for you. You've been gone for days now," Rick states.

Daryl cringes as he waits for Rick to explode, gearing up to be the mediator between these two.

"I was worried. Thought maybe something had happened, so I got Daryl to help me track you down. You sure you're ok?" Rick asks.

Michonne looks into his eyes, realizing the genuine concern he has for her and nods. "I'm fine, Rick. I was on my way back."

"Ok." Rick waits for her to walk ahead of him as he and Daryl step in behind her.

"So what you been doing out there all this time?" Daryl wants to know. He can't believe Rick didn't go off. If it was anybody else they'd be freaking toast right about now. _Man this love thang ain't no joke._

"Just needed to clear my head," she returns.

"You did more than that from the looks of you," Daryl notices.

"I had a little trouble on my way back, but nothing I couldn't handle." She looks back at Daryl with a smirk. "It was about 20 of 'em."

Daryl looks over at Rick who is decidedly frowned up as he listens to Michonne's banter about her walker kills. "Yeah. We'll just talk about that later." _No sense in getting Rick riled and they ain't got nothing resolved yet._

They walk through the gates of Woodbury amidst well wishes for Michonne's safe return. There was never a doubt in anyone's mind except for Rick.

He politely cups her elbow to steer her away from the others welcoming her back. His relief is palpable as she allows his touch. "I really need to talk to you. I messed up and I…."

She cuts him off with a kiss. "My place tomorrow night at 7. I've got _plenty_ I need to say to you and you're going to listen to every single word." She smiles at him beautifully before she walks off.

He watches her walk away, unsure of what she has in mind. _She smiled at me so that's promising, right?_

Michonne takes time to pamper herself for the remainder of the day, shampooing her hair, relaxing in a scented bath. She feels at peace with the world because she knows exactly what she wants and has decided to claim it. She lounges on her bed, reading a book, eating a Big Kat and sipping some wine.

Meanwhile, Rick is all tied up in knots, wondering what tomorrow night will bring.

He arrives at exactly 7 o'clock, carrying a bouquet of roses and a bottle of wine. Before he can get up his nerve to knock, the door swings open and she is inviting him in. He feels edgy as he walks into the apartment, noting how great she looks in a long purple halter dress. His eyes zero in on her cleavage, but he quickly looks away.

"These are for you." He hands her the bouquet and the wine. "You…you look beautiful."

"Thank you." She steps back, allowing her eyes to travel from his head down to his boots. She is pleased that he took the time to dress for the occasion as he is wearing a light blue button down shirt and dark dress pants. "You sure do look handsome."

Rick nods as he follows her into the kitchen area where she places the bouquet in a water filled vase, then grabs two wine glasses and the wine. They walk in silence to the living room.

"We'll have dinner shortly. I think we should have that talk and clear the air. You ready?" She sits down on the sofa and waits for him to join her.

He turns to face her. "I'm sorry. I was wrong and I know that now. It just took something out of me having to do that again and at the time, I thought being away from you was the solution but it only made the problem worse as I was miserable and making everybody else miserable especially when you wouldn't talk to me."

"Do you blame me? You broke my heart, Rick," she tells him quietly.

He swallows nervously. "I'm sorry. I was stupid. Do you forgive me coz I don't want to be without you?"

"First off, if you ever hurt me like that again, I will skewer you. Second, I'm sorry about what happened with your wife, but I played no part in that equation. Just like you didn't play a part in what was going on with Martinez. I've had some bad shit happen to me, too." She pauses, contemplating if she should get into that. "I'll tell you about that later. I'm finally to the point where I think I can talk about it and you want to know why that is?"

He nods.

"Because I've made up my mind about what I want. I want you, so tell me right here, right now if you can handle that." She waits for his answer.

"I can handle that. Whatever you want. Whatever you need. There's nothing I won't do because I love you, Michonne. I'm in love with you."

She bites her bottom lip as she smiles widely at him. "I'm in love with you, too."

He leans in for a soft, gentle kiss then pulls back to look into her eyes. "You know we're gonna have to have a talk about you going outside the walls alone, right?"

She rolls her eyes heavenward with a sigh, then moves over to him, straddling his lap as she lifts her dress up to her thighs. She smiles at his surprised expression. "Well, for the next few hours, you're going to be doing everything but talking with that beautiful mouth of yours."


	21. Question of My Heart Chapter 21

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Question of My Heart (Chapter 21)

**A/N: A request from literaturechick. Inspired by The Matrimony (Wale ft Usher). Hope you enjoy. Thanks to all of you for reading and showing your support. I truly appreciate you.**

Rick tosses and turns on the cushiony sofa, trying his best to tune out the drone of conversation and occasional laughter drifting to him from the front porch. Michonne is seated outside with Morgan, the two of them conversing continuously for the past 20 minutes or so. The hour is well past 9 o'clock and Morgan should be a ghost by now. She offered for him to join them, but he refused, feigning tiredness and the need to turn in early, hoping one of them would take the hint to do the same.

He finally turns onto his back and stares up at the ceiling, wondering how he let things get to this point. He is sleeping on Michonne's sofa for pity's sake because he can't stand being alone at his house. They left him. The woman he loves, his children and it is all his fault. He doesn't know how he's going to do it, but he's going to win them back and they're going to be a family like they were always meant to be. He just has to come up with a viable plan and pray that Michonne will forgive him.

He starts as he hears the front door open, alerting him to her return. She tells Morgan good night and thanks him for the talk, then silence. He almost bolts off the sofa, thinking they must be kissing. Hearing the front door close, he quickly turns on his side and closes his eyes, pretending to be asleep.

Michonne walks over to the sofa and looks down at a sleeping Rick. She softly touches a hand to his head, then grabs the throw bunched up at his feet and covers him with it.

His eyes pop open with the sound of her footsteps on the stairs. _How could I be so stupid?_

Two months ago

_She should be yelling at me, cursing at me, hell she should hit me upside the head again if it will make her feel better about this situation. Instead, she is standing in front of me, looking as beautiful as ever and forgiving me._

"We can find a way….and if we don't, I'm still with you," Michonne says softly, looking up at Rick with nothing but sincerity in her eyes.

He looks down at the gun in his hand, offering it to her, letting her know that he trusts in what she is telling him. His surprise is evident as she places her hand over his and gently pushes it back to his side.

She grabs her jacket off the bed and walks toward the door. "Don't be too long."

He watches her leave, then looks down at his hand, wondering at the lingering warmth he can still sense.

Two hours later, they are trying to calm everyone down as tragedy finds its way inside the Safe Zone's walls. Pete Anderson kept quiet the entire time the meeting was in session. Right before Deana was to give her decision about Rick's place within the community, Pete produced a knife and slit his wife's throat as he had stealthily made his way to a seat directly behind her.

Rick and Michonne both acted to subdue him but he began to swing the knife wildly almost catching Michonne in the mid-section. Rick quickly moves her out of harm's way and tackles Pete head on. The two men wrestle over the knife, trying to gain control. Pete manages to drive the knife towards Rick's neck, puncturing the skin. Blood starts to pour out of the wound, making it appear most severe.

Rick is beyond angry by this time as he drives his knee into Pete's stomach and gains control of the knife, simultaneously pulling his python from its holster and aiming at Pete's head.

Michonne steps forward, trying not to panic at all the blood pouring from Rick's wound. "Rick, please you need to go the infirmary. I'll take care of him."

A head tilt and a flinch of his nose tells Michonne all she needs to know as Rick pulls the trigger and ends the life of Pete Anderson.

The next day, Michonne is taking care of Rick, assuring that he remains in bed as his neck wound was deeper than they thought. He will heal, but needs to take it easy for the next few days. She is sitting by his bedside, changing his bandage.

"Deana will handle the bodies. She told me she feels responsible for not listening to you about Pete. She thinks she could have prevented this," Michonne tells him.

"Yeah. Too little too late, right?" Rick asks.

"You did what needed to be done like you always do." She sighs as she pushes his hair back from his forehead. "I thought I had lost you. I don't ever want to feel like that again."

He scoffs. "So does that mean you really do care about me?"

Michonne looks at him, a serious glint in her eyes. "I love you, Rick. Haven't you realized that by now?"

His slight comical demeanor changes quickly with her admission. He swallows visibly, suddenly uncomfortable as he wasn't expecting that from her at all. His eyes dart around nervously and looks at everything but her.

"Are you going to say anything?" She asks.

"I…I'm pretty tired so I'm just going to get some sleep," he answers.

Michonne frowns as she feels she and her admission are being ignored and dismissed. She assumes that he is tired and maybe he needs time to process what she just told him, so she decides not to pressure him. She gives a slight smile as she lifts herself from the bed and makes her way out of his bedroom. A sense of foreboding suddenly tries to overwhelm her, but she quells it down, reminding herself that he needs rest and his lack of a return admission is only a temporary lapse in judgment.

A week has passed and Rick is back to his normal activities much to Michonne's relief. She bides her time as she wants to have a talk with him about what she revealed a week ago. She doesn't want to continue ignoring the fact that he didn't acknowledge her feelings or admit to his own.

The hour is late and the house is quiet as the kids are asleep. Michonne waits up for Rick as he is working late yet again. What he is working on is a mystery to her as she carries the title of constable as well and knows their workload is almost non-existent.

He walks through the door, an expression of surprise crossing his face as he notices her in the living room. "Hey. I thought you'd be asleep."

"Obviously. Rick, I think we need to talk," she suggests.

"About what?" He asks.

"About what I admitted to you. I feel like you've been avoiding me, so let's just get everything out into the open," Michonne states.

Rick closes his eyes, not wanting to admit that he's been avoiding her and trying to think of any excuse to get out of the conversation she wants to have. "I just need to wash up and…."

"Do you love me?" She moves to a stand, remaining by the sofa, looking at him expectantly.

Silence ensues. It continues to grow as Michonne feels like she can reach out and touch it.

"Do you?" She repeats.

"I….." He looks away from her, concentrating on any and everything but her. "No…no, I don't. Not like you want me to."

She feels as if he just punched her in the stomach. After everything they've been through together, she thought they were on the same page, she thought they meant something to each other, she thought they were a family. "So the rumors are true then? The way you acted when we first got here, the immediate dislike for Pete, your killing him….was all of that because of an ulterior motive?"

"No. No ulterior motive. I did what I did for us. This is about you and me," Rick tells her.

"I thought so, too. I thought there was a you and me, but you just told me different. You're going to stand here and tell me I read you wrong. Everything we talked about, everything we shared and you don't feel for me like I feel for you? Bullshit, but that's fine. I get it. You keep running, Rick because as of right now, I'm done chasing you. Have a good night." She moves towards the stairs, making her way up to her room.

"Michonne, wait…." Rick begins, but tapers off as she completely ignores him and keeps walking.

She closes and locks her door, resting against it for just a moment, trying to reign in her emotions. The tears come slowly and quietly as she makes her way to her bed. She practically collapses as the sobs overtake her. She grabs a pillow and cries into it, trying to muffle the sounds of pain emitting from her body as she feels like her heart has been shattered into a million pieces.

_Brush you off, see I'm kinda lost  
And dark, troubled heart_

Hours later, she's not sure how she is able to do it as she had little to no sleep the night before, but she rises from her bed at the usual time and goes through her normal routine before making her way downstairs to the kitchen to start breakfast.

Carl joins her soon after, carrying his little sister who immediately reaches for Michonne. "She was just standing up in her crib, waiting patiently for someone to come get her."

"Good morning you two. Yeah, that's my good girl, so sweet." She takes Judith into her arms, kissing her lightly on the forehead. "Let me freshen her up and I'll be right back to finish breakfast."

Carl nods as he moves over to the stove to take a look at what Michonne is concocting for their first meal of the day. He smiles with a little pride as she has been showing him the way around the kitchen, letting him know he should be self-sufficient in all areas. He is always glad to be a help to Michonne.

Twenty minutes later, the three of them are seated around the kitchen table, Judith in her highchair, enjoying breakfast.

"Is Dad going to sleep all day? He's missing breakfast." Carl states.

"Don't disturb him. He probably needs the rest," Michonne suggests.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

At least two weeks have passed and Michonne has put her plans into motion. She spoke with Deana about one of the empty houses in an area away from her current residence and asked if she could move in and when. She also wanted to spend time with the staff at the infirmary and learn more about medical procedures and processes.

Deana is beyond impressed with Michonne as she has taken the initiative to be a vital part of the community. "Well, I hope you don't mind me asking, but why the move? Are you planning on remaining as constable even though you're working with the infirmary staff? I approve of everything you're doing. Just curious."

"The move is just something I need right now. As for the constable position, I want to slowly veer away from that. Maybe train someone else in my place if that's ok with you. I'll continue to make myself available for supply runs and anything else you need help with," Michonne tells her.

Deana looks closely at Michonne. "If I didn't know any better….I'd think you were after my position." She laughs, but notes how tense Michonne was prior to her joke.

"Not at all. Just trying different things."

"I see. Well, have at it. I see absolutely nothing wrong with what you're trying to do. How does Rick feel about it?" Deana notes the slight falter in the younger woman's demeanor with the mention of that name and determines that he is somehow integral to these changes.

"Fine. He's been busy helping his friend Morgan, so…." She trails off as Deana raises her eyebrows with a smile.

"Morgan, huh? I see you've befriended him as well," Deana offers.

"He appears to be a nice guy. Anyway, thanks for your help with everything. I appreciate it. I'll see you later." Michonne exits the residence before Deana has a chance to dig any further. She has yet to discuss her plans with anyone else as she doesn't want to afford them the opportunity to talk her out of it. The only person she is concerned with is Carl and she plans to talk with him as soon as she gets home as she will be moving out sooner rather than later.

"Now, there's a sight for sore eyes. I don't think I've seen her outside of that uniform. She's gorgeous," Morgan states, his eyes following the beautiful young woman as she walks from Deana's house.

Rick looks up from the map he was perusing to follow Morgan's line of vision only to land on Michonne. She's wearing dark pants and a purple cardigan with a grey top underneath. He frowns slightly as his gaze travels from her to Morgan, taking in the expression of fascination on the other man's face. He clears his throat loudly. "I was hoping we could take the search further out, maybe another 15, 20 miles."

Morgan reluctantly tears his eyes away from Michonne and gives his attention to Rick and the map.

Rick can't help feeling irritated. Morgan arrived the day after his debacle with Michonne. Aaron and Daryl found him on one their scouting trips and he is glad to see his friend alive and well, but is more than annoyed that he has taken notice of Michonne. The guilt eats him up every time he thinks of her which is constantly. She has been nothing but gracious with him, no anger, no animosity, and he can't help but love her even more for it. _That's right. Love. I love her. I just didn't know how to say it or even if I should. The people I touch, the people I love…bad things happen and I can't even think about something happening to her. She's my rock and if…_

"Hey Rick. You got a minute?" Daryl asks from a few feet away.

He hands off the map to Morgan and walks toward Daryl.

Meanwhile, Michonne is at home having that talk with Carl.

"I don't want you to think that this will have any type of impact on our relationship because it won't. I'm still here for you no matter what and my house is your house, so you can come and go as you please. Stay over if you want," she assures him.

"Even live there if I wanted?" He asks.

"Of course. You know I don't have a problem with that. Your dad, on the other hand…."

"This is all his fault. He's the reason…."

"Stop that right now. Do not blame your father. He's just having a few issues, but he'll work them out like he always does, ok?" She encourages.

"Well, while he's working out his issues, I think Judith and I should come live with you," Carl suggests.

"Nothing in this world would please me more, but we have to discuss it with your dad," Michonne tells him.

"Discuss what with me?" Rick asks as he walks into the living room.

Michonne cringes as she wanted a little more time before revealing her plans to Rick. _ No time like the present._ She normally wouldn't use Carl as a buffer with Rick, but he's involved _so here goes…._ "I'm moving out and I'd like to take the kids with me."

Rick frowns as he looks from Carl to Michonne and back again. "Carl, could you go to your room for a minute please?" He asks, rolling his shoulders, trying to process the information she just gave him.

"I'm not going anywhere. You're just gonna try and yell and tell her she can't go, but we're going…" Carl trails off as Michonne taps his arm, indicating that he should go upstairs. "Fine. I'll go to my room, but if Michonne moves out, me and Judy are going with her." He gives Michonne a hug as if to reinforce his declaration, then moves off the sofa and heads upstairs to his room.

Rick watches his son disappear upstairs, then turns his attention to Michonne. "What is this? Is this because of what I…didn't say or what I did say? What's going on?"

"This is for me. I want to make a life for myself here and that's what I'm going to do, starting with a place of my own. I think it's what I need. You obviously need some time to sort out whatever is going on with you and I'm going to give you the space to do that," she states.

"You…don't have to do that. You don't have to move out," Rick tells her.

"I know, but I think it's for the best. As for the kids, let's treat this as a joint custody thing. They'll stay part of the week with me and the other part with you," she suggests.

Rick's heart falters at her words. _Joint custody? She's divorcing me before we ever got married._ He looks down at his boots, unable to meet her gaze. "I…I feel like this is a punishment."

"This has nothing to do with you, Rick. I just need…"

"Well, who does it have to do with then? Morgan? Are you moving out for him?" Rick doesn't know where that came from, but he's desperate at this point.

"For the last time, this is what _I _need. I'll start moving out tomorrow." She gets up, moving towards the stairs, but Rick blocks her exit, stepping in front of her.

"I'm sorry. Just…help me make this right." He finally meets her eyes, begging her not to leave.

She smiles up at him, placing a hand on his cheek. "It's ok, Rick."

He grabs her wrist, pulling her hand away from his face. "Stop doing that! Stop being so fucking understanding. Yell at me. Slap me. Tell me what an asshole I am."

She yanks her hand away from him. "This is exactly why you need this time to yourself. You don't want me, so why do you care where I live or what I do?" She puts a hand up to stop him before he can respond. 'No, I'm not doing this with you."

_Cause I failed and see you bout to cry  
And I'm sorry I'm wrong_

_But I'm promisin' you better though_

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Michonne looks around her new home with contentment. The layout is slightly different from Rick's house, but she has plenty of space and has added a few extra touches here and there to make this place officially hers. Judith has her own room, as does Carl while she occupies the master bedroom.

She is hosting the family for dinner tonight and is very excited. Sasha, Maggie, and Rosita should be coming up the walkway right now to help with the spread she has planned.

Thirty minutes before everyone is to arrive, Michonne comes downstairs in a comfortable red sundress wearing a pair of flip flops. She moves into the kitchen and checks on what is still warming on the stove.

"Well, look at you. That's right, girl! Show Rick what he's missing and what Morgan's getting," Rosita says with a laugh.

Michonne looks over at her with a smirk. "It is not like that at all and don't say that about me and Morgan. This place loves gossip."

"You got that right. All that mess they spread about Rick and you know who, God rest her soul.…is that why you moved out?" Rosita asks.

"Of course not. Could we not talk about Rick please?" Michonne requests.

"Well, ok but everybody's pretty pissed at him for causing whatever he's causing between you two. What is going on?"

Maggie and Sasha give Rosita a look as Michonne chooses to ignore her and starts arranging place settings on the table.

As usual, the dinner was nice and enjoyable. They have also had dessert and have branched off into different groups to talk, play cards, have a drink, etc.

Daryl, Glenn, and Abraham have pulled Rick out to the patio to have a little talk with him. They've been planning it for a while now, but seeing him tonight reaffirms that they should've done it as soon as they detected trouble in paradise.

"You fucked up bad. I don't know what you did, but she moved out and took the kids? She is done with you, dude," Abraham announces.

Rick throws him a not so kind look. "Make me feel better, why don't cha?"

"The point of all this is to help you," Glenn says.

"No one can help me except me. I made this mess, so I have to be the one to clean it up," Rick admits.

"But you ain't got one clue how to do that," Daryl chimes in.

Rick nods as that is all he can do.

"No, there's stuff you can do. Flowers, candy, gifts…women eat that shit up," Abraham states.

"We're talking about Michonne here," Rick puts in.

Abraham shoots him a stern look. "I know who the fuck we're talking about. See, part of your problem is you're still putting her in that friend zone. Your buddy Morgan over there, he sees all woman and that's what she is...all woman. She's got a soft side. The side that likes being chased after and wooed. Believe me, she wants the flowers and candy and stuff."

Daryl looks around. "Abe might be right. I mean when's the last time she got something like that since the world went to shit? Bottom line you ain't doing so hot with the way things are now, so you need to fix it. If she's what you need, then you're going to have to make this right."

They celebrate their game plan with a couple of bottles of liquor which Rick is more than happy to chug down.

Much later, everyone is preparing to leave. Michonne sees them out, so happy to have a successful dinner. She looks over to the living room area, noticing Tyreese and Bob holding Rick up between the two of them.

They move over to the door.

"He had a little too much to drink, but we'll get him home," Bob assures her.

Michonne can't help but be concerned as she has never seen Rick in this state before. "Thanks, guys. I'll be sure and check on him first thing in the morning."

Rick lifts his head to look at her. "Michonne…..I'm sorry."

_My sincerest apologies, I mean it I'll admit it, all being pathetic  
Cause I'm selfish and I need you to myself _

_Went from fallin' in love to drunk and fallin' apart_

_But you still sayin' let it go I can promise you forever though  
I thank you baby, you strong But, I plan to do it better though  
_


	22. Question of My Heart Part II Chapter 22

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Question of My Heart Part II (Chapter 22)

**A/N: A response to a guest review: Thanks for the review. Yes, it's bad to think that way, but there is something a little comical about Michonne moving out and taking the kids with her. Poor Rick. He has no help as everyone is on Michonne's side including his own kids. Thanks for the support.**

**Also, honorable mention to literaturechick's friend, Elias, as part of this request came from him. Hope you enjoy.**

Present Day

Michonne has been splitting her time between the constable's office and the infirmary, filling her days with as much work as possible, so she won't think about the things she doesn't want to think about. She has settled in nicely into her new home with Carl and Judith and she enjoys the conversations she has with Morgan. He is a true friend as he told her up front that he wouldn't mind pursuing a relationship with her. She had to be up front as well and tell him that her heart belonged to someone else, but she would be most grateful for his friendship.

Speaking of her heart, Rick Grimes is doing much better as she allows them to continue to take dinner as a family and he has taken to spending most nights on her sofa. He respects her wishes and doesn't try to force any type of conversation or situation she will not welcome. They truly are best friends. She makes her way to the infirmary as she and Maggie will be assisting Dr. Stevens today.

Meanwhile, Rick is at Carol's place as he enlisted her help in baking a lasagna casserole. His plan is to have everything already done and set up for Michonne when she gets home. She always takes such good care of him and his kids, despite everything, and he wants to return the favor by taking care of her for once.

He listens intently as Carol reminds him again of the reheating process. "Please don't repeat it again. I got it."

"Well, I hope so. Are you sure going through all this trouble is worth it?" Carol asks.

"What do you mean?"

"She's already moved out, you told her how you really feel, so just leave well enough alone, Rick," she advises.

"How do you know what I told her?"

"Gossip spreads around here like a wild fire. Even your closest friends are talking about your problems with her. I just don't think it would be a good idea to pursue anything." Carol looks at him, trying to give him an innocent smile, but Rick can see through it.

He's not sure what's really going on with Carol, but he needs to let her know that what he pursues with Michonne is his business. "Well, thanks for your opinion, advice whatever it is you're offering, but I don't need it. Don't interfere, Carol. This is between me and Michonne. Instead of being so preoccupied with what I'm doing, why don't you worry about your own relationship….or lack of one?" He grabs the casserole off the counter, giving her a stern look. "Thanks for the casserole. I'm sure Michonne will love it." With that, he walks towards the front door and out of the house.

Carol watches in stunned silence.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Michonne walks through the front entrance of her home to the delicious aroma of a freshly cooked meal. She cannot feign her surprise as she moves to the kitchen to find Rick and Carl at the stove and Judith in her highchair. _Rick Grimes in an apron. Now that's a sight to behold._ "What are you two doing?"

"Hi, honey. Welcome home. Dinner will be ready in about 15 minutes, so if you want to sit down and relax or go wash up….the choice is yours. I'm taking care of everything tonight," Rick announces with a smile.

She laughs with Carl as she loves this lighthearted Rick. She is glad that he seems to be so much better than when they first arrived here. She slowly looks around the kitchen, noting that he and Carl seem to have everything under control. She walks over to Judith and retrieves her from the highchair. "Come on little girl. Let's go see what we can get into for 15 minutes."

The dining area is already set up with a nice vase filled with fresh roses in the center of the table. Michonne is impressed as Rick has been most thoughtful. She leans over to get a whiff of the roses, delighting in the wonderful scent. She walks over to the large picture window, looking out over the neighborhood, feeling content for the first time in a long time. "Maybe after dinner, we can take a little stroll, huh Judy? Would that be nice, baby girl?"

Minutes later, they are seated at the dining room table, sharing stories about their day at school and at work. After dinner and dessert, they take a short stroll around the neighborhood, enjoying the cool night air.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

"Congratulations! Oh, Maggie, I'm so happy for you. This is such great news. You and Glenn deserve this," Michonne professes as Maggie has just shared the wonderful news of her pregnancy. She knew they started trying while they were at the prison, so it means so much that it is finally happening for them.

They carry on with their work at the infirmary, shadowing Dr. Stevens' nurse, Connie, for a few hours. Michonne was expected at the constable's office once she completed her work at the infirmary, but she has developed a headache and decides to go home to lay down for a while. Carl is at school and Carol is taking care of Judith, so she has some solitude for an hour or two.

She sits down on her bed after she dragged her way upstairs, wondering at the true source of her lethargy. Hearing Maggie's news today truly made her happy, but it also conjured up feelings she thought she had long ago suppressed. In that moment, she misses Andre so profoundly and wants so badly to have the feeling of a little life growing inside her again. She knows it's silly to even wish for those things in today's world, but she can't help it. Carl and Judith continue to fill a void for her, but some days she just prays for the experience of pregnancy to motherhood again.

She scoffs at her thoughts. _You can't even get the man you want, so how are you gonna have a baby?_ She lays down as the tears start to flow. Today is just one of those days that she has to let it out, so she cries for her son, for the tragedy of losing him and his father, for never being able to have a normal life again.

Meanwhile, Rick is at the constable's office, counting the minutes until Michonne arrives. She is twenty minutes late and he knows that's not like her, so he makes his way over to the infirmary to see what could be keeping her. Five minutes later, he is on his way to her house as she left the infirmary a while ago.

He makes his way inside, utilizing the key Michonne graced him with, calling her name softly.

She can hear Rick calling her name, making his way up the stairs to her room. She tries to compose herself, but has little success as her grief is so palpable she just has to let it run its course.

Rick knocks before popping his head in. He sees her on the bed, her body apparently racked with uncontrollable sobs. He rushes to her side in a panic, taking in her drenched face, her reddened eyes. "Michonne, what is it? What's wrong?"

She is so upset that even if she could answer him, he wouldn't be able to decipher it.

He doesn't know what to do, but he grabs her and hugs her tightly, rocking her as she continues to cry. His heart breaks to hear her cry like this. He continues to hold her, moving a hand in soothing circles across her back, waiting for the sobs to subside.

Minutes later, she pulls away from him and sits up slowly as she gains control of her grief, wiping the tears from her face as best as she can. "It's ok. I'm fine now. Sorry."

"What's wrong? Is it me? I'm…." He trails off as she frowns at him.

"Not everything I do is about you Rick. I had a life before I met you, you know. I was in love with a wonderful man, I had a son who meant the world to me, a successful career, but the change….the change took all of that from me and left me alone with nothing and nobody." She takes a deep shaky breath. "Maggie told me she was pregnant today and Lord knows I'm happy for her, but it triggered something in me because I won't ever have that experience again and I want it so badly." She laughs. "If I had known any of the mess I know now I would've had a passel of children."

Rick swallows visibly, suddenly nervous as he doesn't want to say the wrong thing. "I'm sorry, Michonne. I'm so sorry."

"Some days are better than others. Today was just one of those days, but I'll push through like I always do," she responds.

"Do you need to talk…about him...them?"

She smiles at his offer and doesn't think about it because she'll change her mind if she does. She just starts talking, the memories flowing out of her freely and effortlessly.

Moments later, she tapers off as she realizes she's crying again and tears have gathered in his eyes as well.

"Can I ask you something?" She inquires.

"Anythang." He answers.

"Will you tell me about Lori?" She notices how quickly he tenses up and wants to shut himself off from her as he looks away.

"You don't have to if you're not ready. You've just kept it so close for so long. Maybe if you talk about it, you might unburden yourself just a little. Maybe make room for something else, something a little healthier for you," she places a hand to his chest, smiling as he looks down at her hand, then into her eyes.

She moves over to make room for him to lie down next to her.

Rick sighs heavily as he lays down and looks up at the ceiling, knowing he's going to tell her everything. It just feels right so he begins with the problems he and Lori had before the outbreak, he tells about his injury, waking up in the hospital to realize the world had changed and that Lori and Carl were missing, his quest to find them and the blessing of actually reuniting with them only to learn about her and his best friend Shane. He unburdens himself about Judith's parentage, his guilt for the way he treated Lori during her pregnancy, his guilt about her death and for not being able to put things back together.

"Now you know everythang. Pretty messed up, huh?" He looks at her as if he's awaiting some sort of judgment.

She caresses his cheek softly. "We've both been through the ringer so to speak, but we're still here Rick. That has to mean something, right?"

He nods slowly, realizing that he does feel lighter for having told her all that.

"Let's do something wild today. Something we haven't done in a long time," she suggests.

"Ok. What are we doing?"

She smiles. "Let's take a nap."

Rick laughs out loud at that. "Really? That's what you wanna do?"

"Yes. When's the last time we did something like that?"

He sits up and starts removing his boots. "Alright. It's nap time."

She takes her shoes off as well, then they lay back, nestling closer to each other. He wraps his arms around her and she rests her head against his shoulder. Moments later, they actually drift off to sleep.

Rick awakens to the waning sunlight in the room. The sun is setting so that means he and Michonne slept for hours. _I guess we both needed it. _ He looks over at her, still sleeping peacefully in his arms. He drinks in her beauty, the youthfulness of her face, the smooth skin, the long lashes, and her inviting mouth, slightly open as she breathes in and out softly. He leans over and nuzzles her neck gently, eliciting a moan from her.

She blinks several times before finally opening her eyes. She takes in the lack of light in the room and smiles. "Boy when we nap, we nap, huh?" She looks to him for a response, but no response is forthcoming as he is concentrating his eyes on her lips.

"Rick?"

"Hmmm…?" He cups her cheek as he leans in closer.

Michonne shrinks back just a fraction. "Don't. If you don't mean it….just don't."

He captures her mouth with his, reveling in the contact as it is much better than he anticipated.

She rears back just a little, holding her hands up and away from his body as she is almost afraid to touch him. She shudders as his hands meet at the base of her spine and he pulls her body flush against his. Surrender is what she gives as he opens his mouth over hers and pushes his tongue against her lips, seeking entry. She opens her mouth, inviting him in as she wraps her arms around him, intensifying their kiss.

_If there's a question of my heart, you've got it  
It don't belong to anyone but you_

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Michonne doesn't know what to think. Maybe it was a mistake to kiss Rick and then maybe it wasn't. Confusion can't begin to describe the emotional rollercoaster she is riding right now. _He certainly kissed me like he was in love with me. Maybe he was just horny or…hell I don't know. Why did I even let this happen?_

"Michonne? Michonne, what gives? I've asked you the same question twice and you have yet to respond. Ignoring me is rude, you know," Maggie complains.

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry. I was thinking about something and got distracted. What was the question?"

She and Maggie continue their work at the infirmary and soon their morning shift is over. She has at least two hours before she has to report for constable duty so she decides to go home and have a light lunch, inviting Maggie with her.

Maggie was about to agree when she notices who is walking their way. "I think you might have other plans." She smiles and nods toward the entrance.

Michonne's eyes pop as she takes in Rick Grimes in his uniform, walking towards the infirmary, carrying a picnic basket. She turns to Maggie in a panic. "Oh my goodness. Maggie, what do I do?"

Maggie smiles as she grasps her friend's hand and looks directly at her. "Let him love you."

Michonne lets that sink in, but can't help feeling nervous as Rick walks through the door and stops in front of her, wearing a huge grin.

"Hey. I thought we'd go to the park and have some lunch if that's ok with you," he asks.

She is about to agree when Maggie chimes in with "Hey Rick."

He gives her his attention. "Oh, hey Maggie. Didn't see you there."

_Coz you only have eyes for Michonne._ Maggie sighs, happy that things seem to be working out for these two. She can't wait to tell Glenn. "Well, have a good lunch. I'll see you guys later. Dinner at our place remember?"

They both nod in agreement as Maggie exits the infirmary.

He offers her his arm. "Shall we?"

She loops her arm with his, moving to exit the building. "You know this will probably get tongues to wagging around this place?"

"Let 'em wag."

Michonne is seeing a slightly different man in Rick Grimes. He smiles just a little more, he's taking time out of his schedule just for her. _My mother always told me if a man wants to be with you, he's going to find time for you. He's doing what I need him to do, but there's still something missing._

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Later that night, she is sitting on the patio at Maggie and Glenn's place as the family had dinner there earlier. She is enjoying some wine with Sasha, Maggie, and Rosita. She didn't want to discuss Rick, but thought maybe another perspective would help, so she relays to them that he seems to be doing everything right but has yet to tell her that he loves her.

"Michonne, you know Rick loves you," Maggie reassures her.

"Yeah, but she needs to hear it," Sasha chimes in.

"Oh, chica. You know exactly how to get him to tell you he loves you." Rosita wags her eyebrows as she circles her wineglass with a fingertip.

They all share a laugh as Michonne acts mortified at Rosita's suggestion.

"Don't pretend like you haven't thought about it," Rosita says.

"Yes, I have. Too much probably but I can't take that step until I hear it. Everything else is in place," Michonne states.

"Just tell him what you want then," Sasha suggests.

"It won't mean anything if I have to tell him what to say to me," Michonne returns.

Sasha rolls her eyes. "When did this shit become so complicated? You want him, he wants you, just get together already."

Unbeknownst to Michonne, Rick is having a somewhat similar conversation with his son. They're sitting out on the front steps, enjoying the cool night air and appreciating the one on one time together.

"I need to ask you something. I kinda know how you feel already, but I just want to be sure," Rick starts, then moves on with a nod from Carl. "I'm in love with Michonne and I think I'm ready to be a husband again, but I need you to be ok with that before I start making plans."

Carl looks to his father with a smile. "You mean you're going to ask her to marry you?!"

"Shhhh…..not right now, but that's my plan. That's what I want. We're just gonna keep that between us for the time being." Rick lets him know.

Carl throws his arms around his Dad's waist. "That's the best news I've heard in like…forever. So, everything's gonna be ok now? We can all be together in the same house again? She'll be my mom…I mean, my stepmom?"

"We can't get ahead of ourselves. I know I still got a lotta making up to do, but I hope she'll forgive me and maybe think about us getting married." Rick unconsciously starts playing with his wedding band.

"You think she's gonna say no?" Carl asks

Rick laughs. "That's the thang. I never know with her. She keeps me on my toes."

"I think she loves you, too, but whatever you did….I don't think she was mad. I think she was hurt," Carl suggests.

Rick looks to his son with a nod, amazed at how perceptive he is, still fingering his ring.

"Are you thinking about Mom?" Carl asks as he notices what his Dad is doing.

"I've been thinking about her a lot lately, just remembering….good times and bad, but I got the chance to make some new memories, so that's what I'm going to do…..with Michonne…and you and Judith." He takes a deep breath and removes his ring, placing it in his pocket.

"So, how are you going to do this? Do you need some help coz you can't mess this up, Dad," Carl informs.

Rick shakes his head with a laugh. "I'm still figuring it all out, but I promise you I won't mess this up."

They make their way back inside and Carl challenges his Dad, Daryl, and Noah to a game of cards.

Maggie, Michonne, Sasha, and Rosita walk into the house, ready to call it a night.

Beth moves over to Michonne as Judith starts reaching for her as soon as she sees her. "You know you can't walk into the room without her noticing you."

Michonne smiles as she takes Judith into her arms. "She's probably sleepy. Guess that's my cue to leave. I'll see you guys later." She moves over to the dining room table where Rick and Carl are engrossed in their card game. She rests a hand gently on Rick's shoulder, alerting him to her presence.

He reaches up to grasp her hand without even looking back at her, keeping his eyes on the cards.

She looks down at the hand holding hers and realizes his wedding band is gone. Before she can process that information, he turns to her and stands up.

"You ready to go?" He asks.

Carl moans. "But I'm winning. We can't leave now, Dad."

Michonne looks from Rick to Carl and back again, piecing her thoughts together slowly. "It's fine. Stay and finish your game. Judy and I will see you two later." Her eyes travel down to their hands as she realizes Rick has yet to let go.

"You sure?" He asks. With her nod, he leans down and kisses her softly on the cheek. "I'll see you later then." He turns back to the guys who are looking at him with stunned expressions. "What?"

Michonne blinks several times, processing the information that Rick just kissed her in front of their family like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Good night everybody." She turns toward the door, ignoring the knowing smiles on the faces of her friends and exits the house with a sleepy Judith.

_If there's a question of my love, you've got it  
Baby don't worry, I've got plans for you_

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

The hour is late as Rick contemplates everything he needs to do in order to make things right with Michonne. He is on her sofa again, staring up at the ceiling. He has wanted on several occasions to confess his true feelings, but is not sure of her receptiveness, especially after he made such a mess of things. _I should march up there right now and tell her exactly how I feel. Make her listen to me. Naw that macho bullshit won't work with her._ He sits up with a heavy sigh, wishing he was better at expressing himself, wishing he knew the exact words to say to fix what he had broken.

A creak on the stairs draws his attention in time to see Michonne make her down to the kitchen. She moves over to the refrigerator and grabs a bottle of water.

_It's now or never_. Rick lifts himself from the sofa and makes his way to the kitchen.

Michonne eyes him as she takes a long drink from the bottle. She pulls it away from her mouth, soundly. "I didn't know you two had made it back."

"I figured you were sleeping and I didn't want to disturb you," Rick offers.

"Nope, for some reason I can't sleep tonight," she admits.

"That makes two of us," he returns.

They both lapse into a silence, just standing in the kitchen, looking at each other.

"Are you ever going to let me apologize to you? Explain to you why I said what I said?" He inquires, nervous that she may refuse him.

Michonne places her bottle on the countertop behind her and leans against it. "Ok." She stands up straight as Rick walks directly up to her, invading her space. She looks up at him as he cups her face, looking down at her.

"First of all, I do love you. I'm so in love with you that I can't even think about losing you, but that's what happens in this world….we lose people." He looks up away from her.

Michonne can see his throat working as he tries to reign in his emotions.

He drops his head back down, meeting her eyes again. "I can't….I won't lose you. Lying to you was my way of keeping these feelings of helplessness at bay. I'm sorry. I know it was wrong to cause all this mess between us and I swear I'm going to do everything that I can to make it up to you and I've more than learned my lesson about lying to you. Please forgive me coz I'm fucking tired of sleeping on that sofa."

They both laugh as Michonne drops her head to his chest.

"Seriously, do you forgive me?" Rick asks with caution, not sure what to expect.

She looks up at him. "Just let me hear you say it again."

His voice drops to a soft whisper as he leans closer to her. "I love you, Michonne….with everything that I am."

She closes her eyes, savoring his declaration. Seconds later, she meets his eyes, wrapping her arms around his waist. "That's all I've ever wanted."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Months later, Rick and Michonne have agreed to get married and are trying to decide which house will be their primary residence. Michonne wants to keep her house, but Rick's argument is that they need the room the larger home, his home, allows.

They are in the larger house as he is showing her some of the changes he has made. He leads her to the master bedroom and she immediately zeroes in on the antique vanity in one of the corners.

"A vanity? When did you put that in here?" She asks.

"I found it weeks ago…." He trails off with her gasp.

"And you didn't bring it to my place? I told you I wanted a vanity," she says.

He smiles. "I know and here it is."

She shakes her head at him. "You're not being fair."

He grabs her hand and leads her to the fourth bedroom. He watches as she walks into the room, looking around.

"Ok, so this house has four bedrooms instead of three. We planning on having a lot of guests stay overnight?" she jokes.

"Well, I was actually thinking we could make it into a nursery," Rick suggests.

"A what?" She swallows nervously. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Well, I can't promise you that passel you wanted, but I think one…maybe two," he says with a smile. "What do you think?"

Michonne's eyes grow glassy with unshed tears. "I think you really do love me."

"With everything that I am." He takes her into his arms and hugs her tightly.

_Baby, I've been making plans, oh love  
Baby, I've been making plans for you_

**A/N: So, I know that was extremely fluffy, but I've warned all of you about my fluffiness and I really needed this. Go ahead and call me out on it. I can take it, but I hope you liked it all the same. Thanks.**


	23. Question of My Heart Part III Chapter 23

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Question of My Heart Part III (Chapter 23)

"So, are you reporting for duty right now?" Michonne asks with a little gleam in her eyes.

Rick almost blushes. "I was hoping you'd let me make an honest woman out of you first."

She gasps. "With everything we've already done? Really Rick?"

"Since you put it like that, I guess I'm reporting for duty." He smiles as he takes her in his arms and moves toward the bed.

"Wait. Let me get the door." She steps away from him, but Rick pulls her back. She looks up with a question in her eyes.

"We're the only ones here, so leave the door open, take off all your clothes and let me find out how loud I can make you scream." He licks his lips as his eyes start to travel from her face to other interesting areas of her anatomy.

Michonne swallows hard with a slight shiver as she starts unbuttoning her uniform shirt.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

No date has been set for the ceremony as Rick doesn't want Father Gabriel to marry them. He's still a little upset with him for saying what he said about the family to Deana, trying to get them kicked out of the Safe Zone.

Michonne understands Rick's animosity but has to remind him that Father Gabriel is the only one who can marry them. Of course, they won't have the luxury of legalities, but at least they can have the union traditionally performed and recognized.

She is on patrol as Rick is on a run with Daryl, Tyreese, and Glenn. She is expecting him to return later tonight, but there's a possibility they won't make it back until tomorrow as they keep going further out. She stops as Morgan flags her down. She almost misses the talks she used to have with him and makes a mental note to invite him to dinner with just her, Rick and the kids sometime soon.

"I haven't had a chance to congratulate you. I hear Rick is taking the big leap again….with you," Morgan states.

For some reason, talking about getting married again always makes Michonne blush. She's not sure if it's just being a little bit happy or if it's because of Rick. She tries to shake it off quickly. "Yep. We're getting married."

Morgan looks down at his hands for a moment, then back to her. "We're friends, right? I can talk to you if something was bothering me?"

"Of course, Morgan. What's going on?" Michonne asks.

"It's Carol. Honestly, I don't know what to believe and I didn't want to say anything, but…" He sighs. "She was the one spreading those rumors around about Rick and that other woman…the one whose husband killed her."

Michonne frowns as she recalls those rumors and how it made her feel to hear them. "How do you know that and why would Carol repeat things that aren't true?"

"I don't have all the answers, but she came to me a couple of days ago. She told me Rick would be gone today maybe tomorrow too and she wanted me to seek you out, invite myself over for dinner. She basically told me that I belonged with you, not Rick and that I should do something about it." He sighs. "I was going to Rick about it, but I know him. He'd be angry and there's no telling what he'd do or say to her because it really looks like she was trying to set it up to start some new rumors about me and you."

Michonne is honestly taken aback, hearing this about Carol. Gossip never hurt anyone, but to hear that one of their own spread those rumors and was planning to cause strife between her and Rick was truly hurtful. "Well, thanks for bringing this to me. I think I'll have a talk with Carol myself."

Minutes later, Carol is denying everything to Michonne, accusing Morgan of lying on her. Michonne shakes her head as she can see right through Carol's lies.

"Just explain to me why. Why would you deliberately try to cause a riff between me and Rick? You tried it before and here you are again. Don't deny it anymore. Just be honest," Michonne tells her.

Carol frowns. "Do you really think Rick would still be with you if she had lived? He only chose you because you were available, you're convenient. You know, he's the reason Sophia's dead. He's the reason Shane is dead, Lori…all because of Rick and I'm supposed to just stand by while he gets a do over. He gets a new wife, a mother for his kids and what do I get? I get to live with the guilt of my daughter turning into a walker, I get to live with the guilt I feel towards Lori. She was my friend, she took care of me. I'm not supposed to like you. I'm not supposed to appreciate how you've come in and taken care of those kids. She's their mother, not you."

It is apparent to Michonne that Carol is experiencing some sort of break down, so she chooses not to argue with her as that will only escalate the situation into something that could harm them both.

"Aren't you going to say anything? Ready to run me through with your sword? You can try it," Carol challenges.

"Carol, you're not the only one who has lost someone and you can't blame Rick for everything. What happened to Sophia, to Shane, to Lori…how could he control that?" Michonne sighs as Carol shakes her head.

"How would you know? You weren't there."

"So, what's the solution here? What is pulling me and Rick apart going to do for you?" Michonne asks.

Carol sighs as the tears start to roll down her cheeks. "Why should he get a happy ending with you when everyone else is miserable? I…I don't fit in anymore and all I want to do is run away, but where would I go?"

"I thought you were willing to give this place a chance. I thought you and Daryl were trying this out together," Michonne suggests.

"Yeah, I thought so too but looks like he has a new friend in Sasha, so….." She trails off as she swipes at her tears.

"Is that what this is really about? You and Daryl?" Michonne asks.

"No. It's about Rick and everything that he has done, but he keeps moving on like it's nothing. Sure, Lori died, he lost her, but look at what everyone else has lost. He hasn't suffered enough and I need him to suffer," Carol announces.

Michonne quells down her anger. _"You_ need him to suffer? Carol, Rick is a good man. You know that. He's been fighting to keep all of us alive and you…."

"He didn't fight for me! He sent me to my death when he banished me! But I showed him. If it wasn't for me, none of you would be alive. You owe me." Carol pounds her fist against the countertop to emphasize her words.

"You're right. We owe you, but I'm not going to repay you by sacrificing my happiness. We're in a good place. Why can't we _try_ to be happy?" Michonne asks.

"I just…..can't," Carol returns.

"Then I'm sorry because I can't help you…not while you're like this." Michonne gives Carol a look of pity before she turns away from her and walks toward the door.

She hears Carol unsheathe her knife and turns just in time to grasp the other woman's wrists and avoid an injury. She trips in her effort to keep the knife away from her and the two women go down, Carol on top, pushing the knife towards Michonne's face with all of her might.

Michonne tries to throw Carol off of her using the weight of her body, but the older woman holds on steady and relentlessly. "Stop this!"

"I know…how…to make…Rick suffer. If he….loses…you…he loses….everything." Carol screams as she uses all of her strength to drive the knife anywhere into Michonne's flesh.

Michonne turns her face to the side as Carol plunges the knife down, shallowly slicing her neck, driving the weapon into the floor. Anger rages through the younger woman as she turns to face Carol and head butts her.

Carol is temporarily dazed as Michonne plants a knee in her mid-section and shoves Carol away.

A knock sounds at the door and Michonne readily crawls over and opens it. Morgan stands on the threshold, taking in the scene and immediately drops down to Michonne's level as he sees blood staining her clothes.

Carol retrieves her knife from the floor. "Get out of my way, Morgan."

He turns around to see Carol standing with the knife raised, ready to strike. "Carol, don't do this. Put the knife away."

"Don't you see? If I get rid of her, Rick will suffer in the worse way," Carol offers, staring at Michonne with a deadly gleam in her eyes.

Before he can second guess himself, Morgan lands a punch to Carol's face, knocking her out cold.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

"She is fucking gone!" Rick shouts as Michonne, Daryl, and Morgan look on. He keeps zeroing in on the glaring white bandage on Michonne's neck and gets angrier each time he sees it.

Daryl sighs. "Maybe part of this is my fault. I haven't exactly been spending time with her and looking back on some of the things she said when we first got here…..I just should've known something wasn't right. I never thought she'd try anything like this."

"I knew something was off, too, but I didn't say anything," Morgan adds.

Michonne braces for the fall out. "She needs help, not banishment. She…"

"…tried to fucking kill you to get to me and you think she's going to stay here with us?!" Rick is shouting again.

"Dr. Cloyd said she had some sort of mental breakdown. With everything we've all been through, it's a wonder we aren't all crazy. This was bound to happen to one of us, so maybe she can get some help," Michonne suggests.

Rick snatches his python from the holster. "I'm gonna help her alright." He moves toward the door but stops as Michonne shouts his name.

She moves away from the sofa to stand in front of him. "Hand me the gun now." She offers him her hand, her heart racing out of control as she is truly afraid of what Rick might do to Carol. They stare each other down, unaware of Morgan and Daryl at a stance to stop Rick if needed.

He holsters the gun and removes his gun belt, staring at her the entire time, then moves over to the coat rack in the corner and drapes the belt on it. "Happy now?" He abruptly walks away.

Michonne sighs as she watches him walk up the stairs. She turns to Morgan and Daryl. "I'll talk to him. He just needs to calm down first."

"I'll go talk to Carol. Maybe we can fix this somehow," Daryl says.

"She's sedated right now, so you may have to wait until tomorrow," Morgan suggests.

Later that night, Rick and Michonne are in bed, the silence from dinner continuing on.

She sighs as she realizes she is the one who will have to break the silence as Rick doesn't agree with her point of view at all. "I know you're angry and you have every right to be, but she really needs help and I think we can bring her back. We've already lost so much and if there's a chance to save her, don't you think we should try? She made a mistake, but we've both been where she is. We just handled it differently."

The silence between them grows again as Rick closes his eyes and struggles with his emotions.

"You're not going to say _anything_?" She asks.

Rick turns to face her, his hand moving to lightly touch the bandage at her neck. His voice is soft as he says, "All this time, I was worried about what could happen to you out there, not knowing there was a threat right under our noses. She tried to kill you and I don't know if I can just forgive and forget."

"Carol has been with you since the beginning. She's been through a lot as we all have, so you really need to take that into consideration before you send her out there again."

"I know how long I've known her, but right here, right now if I had to choose between you and her, I'm going to choose you. There's no question. I love you and to think that she tried to take you away from me….I just….she's a threat now and I always eliminate my threats." Rick leans over and kisses her on the forehead, ending the conversation.

Michonne stares up at the ceiling, extremely worried for Carol. "Just promise me you'll give it a couple of days before you do anything."

Silence.

"Rick?"

He sighs. "I promise, but something has to be done. She can't be here."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

All is quiet at the Safe Zone. Carol is still at the infirmary under Dr. Cloyd's care and the family is back doing their routine duties. All except Michonne. Rick begged her to take it easy for the next couple of days, although the wound to her neck wasn't deep at all and she was feeling fine.

She is doing a little cleaning to keep busy when she hears a knock at the door. She walks over to answer it and is surprised to see Carol standing there.

Tears start to form in the older woman's eyes before she can say anything.

"Michonne, I'm so sorry. I'll understand if you can't forgive me, but I want you to know that I just…wasn't myself and….I was wrong to pull you into my mess. You didn't deserve any of it." Carol pauses and actually cringes as she waits for Michonne's reaction.

The reaction she was expecting isn't the one she receives as the younger woman steps to her and pulls her in for a hug.

"It's ok, Carol. I understand what you were going through," Michonne admits. She steps back and invites Carol in.

"Is Rick here? I know I need to face him, but I'm not ready yet," Carol offers.

"He's working."

During the next hour, Michonne shares her story with Carol, letting her know that she was in the same place once upon a time. The truth makes Carol even more weighed down with guilt which is why she is glad for the decision she had made that morning.

"You know you don't have to do that, right?" Michonne asks.

"I know, but I think it's for the best. Morgan's going to come with me," Carol returns.

"Morgan?"

Carol smiles. "I've been talking to him off and on since he got here, but he's been at the infirmary every day and he told me his story. We've kind of bonded and he's been helping me…cope. I appreciate him for that."

"So, when are you leaving?"

"I'm going to try to make things right with Rick first, then we'll leave," Carol informs.

"What about Daryl?"

"I think he's going to be ok now."

Twenty four hours later, the family gathers at the gates to say farewell to Carol. The decision is not what any of them want for her, save for Rick. He chose to forgive her for Michonne's sake, but a part of him will always be leery of Carol because of the things she has done. They all watch sadly as Carol and Morgan finish loading up their supplies in the small mini-van, preparing for their journey.

Hugs and kisses are exchanged amidst tears as everyone says their goodbyes. It's a sad time for Team Family as they watch two of their own separate from them and journey off together.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Eighteen months have passed and the Safe Zone has continued to flourish. Rick and Michonne are married, Maggie and Glenn are parents to a baby boy, Sasha and Daryl are together and the entire family continues to thrive.

Michonne is seated on the front porch, looking out over the community with a smile. It's her favorite time of day, twilight. Watching the sunset with scattered clouds in the sky always brings a sense of melancholy but lately, her feelings are anything but that. She smiles as she rests a hand on her protruding belly. Her husband kept his promise to her as they are expecting a child in two more months.

Speaking of her husband, her heart skips a beat when he walks into her line of vision, accompanied by Carl and Judith and a gentleman she hasn't seen before. Her smile falters just a bit as they will forever remain leery of strangers. He must be ok if he's with Rick and the latter is bringing him to their home.

The four of them walk up the stairs to the porch, her children making a beeline for her as Rick introduces the stranger.

"This is Dante. He's from another community about 75 miles from here. He has something for you," Rick informs.

Michonne looks from Rick to the stranger. "Nice to meet you, but I'm confused. You have something for me?"

"Yes, ma'am, I do. I was told to put it directly into your hands and everybody at the gate told me in order to get to you, I had to go through him." He points to Rick, then retrieves a letter from his bag. "This is what I was told to deliver."

Michonne accepts the letter, looking curiously up at Rick as she opens it. She scans it quickly and gasps loudly. "It's from Carol."

_If there's a question of my heart, you've got it  
It don't belong to anyone but you_

**A/N: I know. I know. I should continue this and maybe I will because I'm actually quite intrigued with this myself. And to think I didn't know where I was going with this at all. Anyway, any suggestions?**


	24. Do You Chapter 24

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Do You (Chapter 24)

**A/N: Request from fellow writer and Richonne lover QueenMojo as she loves Richonne first dates. Inspired by Miguel's Do You.**

Scenario I

"I've got the perfect guy for you," Andrea announces.

"I don't remember asking you to find the perfect guy for me," Michonne returns. "I told you I'm never getting married again."

"That's why he's perfect for you because he's telling Shane the same thing. He doesn't want to get married again, either."

"Obviously you're not listening to me. People who don't want to get married again probably aren't interested in dating again either," Michonne suggests.

"Look, it's been a year since you and Mike called it quits. Don't you think you should get out and live a little?" Andrea asks. "I just want you to meet him. That's all. Shane is hosting a party for that big pay per view boxing match this weekend. He'll be there, so you should be there, too."

"I don't know…." Michonne begins.

"Come on. You'll have a good time even if you decide you don't like the guy. Shane's having it catered by that new barbeque place, Morgan's?"

"I love barbeque, but it's so messy and you can't be pretty while eating ribs," Michonne offers.

"So now you're concerned with looking pretty? Fine. Just get a pulled pork sandwich then. You'll look real good eating that." Andrea's voice is laced with sarcasm as the two friends look at each other and laugh. "That means you're going to meet him, right?"

It's the night of the party and Michonne arrives at least 10 minutes after the starting time. She takes one last look in the mirror and exits her car. The venue Shane rented out looks nice enough with plenty of parking space as a number of people have already arrived. She walks inside to see Shane and Andrea greeting people in the lobby area.

Andrea waves her over. "I'm so glad you made it. He's around here somewhere…"

"I don't have to meet him right away, Andrea. Let me get a drink or something," Michonne suggests.

"That's right, girl. Drink up and have fun tonight." Shane moves over to give her a hug. "How have you been?"

"I'm doing ok. How about you?" The decision on Shane is still in debate as far as Michonne is concerned. Andrea has only been dating him for a few weeks, but so far he seems nice enough.

"Keeping busy as always. Go get that drink. I'll talk to you later." He moves back to Andrea's side to greet some newcomers.

Michonne walks inside the main area and is impressed with the cushioned seats and the huge video screen as they seem to dominate the center of the room. The buffet table, bar, and DJ are set up on one side of the entire room. _Looks like Shane really knows how to throw a party even though I could care less about this boxing match._

She moves over to the bar and asks for champagne. She intends to keep it light since she did drive tonight. She thanks the bartender and turns to exit and almost spills her drink on a guy as he was practically standing behind her. "I'm so sorry. I didn't spill anything on you, did I?"

"No, it's fine. I should watch where I'm going," he returns.

"I didn't see you." She finally looks up and does a double take as she locks eyes with him. Nice, curious blue eyes, a handsome face, smooth lips, not too full, but not thin either. She almost lets her eyes travel downward but doesn't want to appear too obvious.

She clears her throat, shaking herself from her reverie. "Well, glad that turned out ok. Have a good night."

He nods as she brushes by him, moving to a table near the buffet. _She is absolutely beautiful. Now why couldn't I be meeting her tonight?_ He walks up to the bar and orders a drink, set to wait on Andrea and her friend.

Twenty minutes later, he is ready to throw in the towel and say to hell with Andrea's friend as he can't keep his eyes off of the beauty sitting at a table alone. Alone by choice because she has turned down every guy who walks her way. He can't decipher what is being said, but he has watched as she shakes her head and the guy or guys, rather, walk off. He's not sure where his confidence is coming from, maybe it's the glances she has thrown his way every few minutes but he decides to walk over and introduce himself.

"Hi. I'm Rick. We just kinda almost bumped into each other at the bar." He offers his hand to her for a handshake.

She places her flute on the table and shakes his hand. "Michonne."

"Nice to meet you. Mind if I sit down?" He asks.

Michonne retrieves her champagne. "Not at all." _Damn. I hope whoever I'm supposed to meet isn't here yet. I might have to tell Andrea to cancel that plan._

He smiles as he takes a seat beside her, placing his beer on the table. The music is loud but they still manage to have a conversation without shouting at each other.

"Do you live here in King's County?" He asks.

"No. I live in Atlanta. I'm just here for the weekend. How about you?" She asks.

"Yeah, I've lived here for most of my life." He returns.

Just then, Andrea walks up with a huge smile. She greets Rick for the second time that night, then leans down to whisper in Michonne's ear. "I see you found him."

Michonne leans to the side to look into her friend's eyes, questioning her with a slight glance.

Andrea nods, then turns to Rick. "This is the friend I wanted you to meet."

Rick's eyes pop as he wasn't expecting her at all. He's not sure what he was expecting but it wasn't her. She's in a class all her own and he thought Andrea's friends were…well, like Andrea.

"Y'all should get something to eat. Fight's on in about 30 minutes. Well, have fun. Guess I'll see you two later." She smiles as she walks off with a knowing look.

Rick is trying hard not to stare now that he knows she was the woman he was intended to meet. "Would you like me to get you anything? I've been dying to try the ribs from Morgan's."

Michonne almost laughs as food was the last thing on her mind, but being in his presence for the last several minutes has her starving. "Let's go."

Hours later, Rick is escorting Michonne to her car. They shared a meal and even sat together during the boxing match although neither of them paid much attention as they kept talking to each other.

"Would you mind if I called you? I'd really like to see you again if that's ok," Rick suggests.

Michonne smiles. "I'd like that. I'm not leaving for Atlanta until tomorrow evening, so if you wanted to meet for breakfast or lunch, I'm free."

"Breakfast it is," Rick confirms as he can't wait to see her again.

They quickly exchange numbers. He opens her car door for her and waves as she exits the parking lot.

Five minutes later, her cell phone rings. It's Andrea so she answers after the first ring.

"Well?" Her friend inquires.

"Well, what? You knew a man like that was walking around single and you're just now saying something about it?" Michonne has to laugh at herself as she hasn't felt this giddy about anyone since high school.

"I guess that means you like him?" Andrea asks.

"I like what I see, yeah, but I do need to get to know him. We're meeting for breakfast in the morning," Michonne tells her.

"Damn. I guess he likes you too then," Andrea remarks.

"Well, all I've got is thank you, friend because this was definitely an interesting evening."

_Have you ever felt alone_

_Do you still believe in love_

_Do you like hugs_

_It's what we're gonna do_

Scenario II

It's not like you have anything else to do. Come on, man. You gotta start getting back in shape and getting out more," Shane tells his best friend.

"Whatever. I know the kind of workouts you do and I haven't done stuff like that since…I don't know high school, the academy?" Rick returns.

"Which is why you should get back into it. I won't laugh too hard if you decide to start out on the treadmills or something," Shane jokes.

"How about I start out on the track? Jogging? That might be good for me," Rick ponders.

"Let's go, man."

Thirty minutes later, they arrive at the gym only to have Shane abandon Rick. He does actually work out at this gym but he also utilizes it as a social hour, chatting up any female who will indulge him.

Rick just shakes his head and makes his way to the rear exit in search of the track. He finds it with ease and looks around to gauge what the other runners are doing. He sees a few of them stretching so he decides to emulate them as he can recall loosening up before exercise is supposed to be best for your muscles.

Everyone seems to perk up and become animated as a shapely woman, wearing spandex rushes over to them with a greeting. She starts stretching as well.

"Everybody ready?" She asks after a few minutes.

Rick looks around nervously as he's not sure what exactly is about to take place. He is surprised when she singles him out and moves over in front of him.

"Newbie, huh?" She asks.

"Well, yeah. I was just gonna go around a few times. I'm not really ready for the serious stuff." He can look at her and tell she's serious about her health and body. _What a body it is._ He shakes his head and gives her a sheepish smile.

"Nonsense. Just stick with me. Everybody here was where you are at some point, but look at us now," she says proudly.

The group agrees with her as Rick looks around at them cautiously. He figures he doesn't have anything to lose as they start making their way to the track. They all start out slow and he is even more surprised that she is scaling back and jogging alongside him at his pace.

She coaches him on his breathing and posture and asks if he can increase his pace just a bit. He obliges her and they complete the first lap in no time. The second lap was more difficult but he pulled through. It was the third lap that did him in as he has stopped at their starting point, breathing heavily and resting his hands on his knees.

She continues to jog in place as she asks if he is ok.

He nods. "Just…need to….catch….my breath."

"Well, you did great. Three laps is a record for a first timer. I'm impressed. I still have more laps to do, so see you around." She smiles and takes off at a sprint.

All Rick can do is watch in amazement.

He is telling Shane about his experience as the two of them are making their way to Shane's truck. He spots her walking to her car as well and yells out, "Hey. Thank you."

She looks up and smiles when she sees him. "No problem. Hope to see you back here to tackle it again."

"If I can even move tomorrow," he jokes.

She laughs and waves again as she enters her car, preparing to leave.

"Damn. I didn't even get her name," Rick thinks out loud.

"Michonne," Shane provides.

"How do you know?" Rick asks.

"Really man? I know all the hot chicks at this gym and she is one of the hottest," Shane offers.

"You don't mean….you and her…?" Rick asks with a frown.

"I wish. I tried it, but she wasn't having it. She's cool, though. I like her. So she helped you out with your jog, huh?" Shane inquires.

"Yep. She was very helpful. I might just start this on a regular basis. We coming back tomorrow?" He wants to know.

Shane laughs. "She won't be here tomorrow. She'll be here Wednesday, though. She swims on Wednesdays." He laughs at Rick's pondering look. "Let me guess. Swimming might be good for you too?"

Rick laughs as he and his friend enter the vehicle and prepare to leave.

Wednesday rolls around and Rick is at the gym with Shane again. He opted to drive his own vehicle as Shane likes to stay at the gym for hours. He is waiting patiently for her to arrive and decides to try his luck on the treadmill. The equipment faces the entrance and you can see patrons coming and going as the entire front wall is glass.

Ten minutes later, he was so engrossed in his jog that he didn't see Michonne enter the gym nor the fact that she had noticed him. She walks over to him with a smile, admiring his stance on the treadmill. She waits patiently for him to notice her and has to laugh when he falters just a little at the sight of her.

He recovers quickly and switches the treadmill off. "Hi."

"Hi. So, is this a warm up or were we too hard on you out there?" She asks.

"Actually…I guess….I'm just….warming up. Not….sure what I'm….going to…do today." He is a little breathless, but manages to bring it under control quickly.

"I don't know how you feel about swimming, but that's what I'll be getting into today. There's another group of joggers out on the tracks if you want to try that again…or there is an apparel store here if you wanna purchase some swim trunks and join me," she suggests.

Rick smiles and decides right then and there that he'd rather purchase a new pair of trunks than let her know he had already planned to swim with her and had a bag complete with swimming apparel in a locker in the men's area. "That sounds great. Where's the store?" He steps down off the treadmill, preparing to walk with her. "I'm Rick, by the way. Rick Grimes."

"Nice to meet you, Rick. I'm Michonne."

Thirty minutes later they are walking to the pool together and Rick is trying his best not to check her out in her bathing suit. Michonne is suffering from the same malady as he is looking rather fetching in his swim trunks. They put their towels and flip flops to the side, then enter the pool cautiously, trying to get used to the temperature.

Michonne starts them out with straight laps the entire length of the pool. She is quite impressed with Rick as he appears to be a strong swimmer and finishes each lap before her. They decide to take a break and are wallowing in a deserted corner of the pool, talking.

"So, how long have you a member here?" Rick asks.

"About 2 years now. I moved here from Atlanta to take over my dad's law practice when he retired," she offers. "What about you? I haven't seen you here before."

"Shane and I are partners and best friends and he convinced me to give this place a try. I haven't been actively exercising in a while," he admits.

"You work for the Sheriff's department?"

He nods. "Going on ten years now." They continue to share small talk and after a while, notice that they're just about the only ones left in the pool.

"I guess we should get back to why we're here, huh?" She suggests. "Although I think I need a challenge right about now."

"Are you saying I'm not challenging you?"

"No, not at all. I'm challenging myself. You've beat me every lap, so I gotta step up my game and beat you at least once."

Rick laughs. "A little competitive, are we?"

She smiles as she wades over and prepares for another lap in the pool. "You ready?"

"I'm ready alright. Let's go."

They complete at least 4 laps and Rick wins each time. They are on their fifth and last lap almost at the end and Michonne doesn't know where the impulse comes from but she crosses over into Rick's lane and pushes him down into the water by his shoulders. She laughs out loud as he comes up sputtering, gasping for air. She makes a move to swim to the wall, but he grabs her by the waist and gives her a dunking.

The two of them come up, laughing and sputtering.

"I'll call that last one a draw if it'll make you happy. I mean, playing dirty like that just doesn't look good on you. I didn't trip you up out there on the track, did I?" He laughs, still holding her by the waist.

She places her hands at his shoulders. "What can I say? I'm a sore loser, especially with a newbie." She laughs with him, then falters as she realizes how close they are. It felt so natural to her that she didn't even think about it. She pulls back just slightly.

"Guess I should quit while I'm ahead, huh?" Her eyes dart around almost nervously.

Rick picks up on that immediately and almost cringes as her nervousness pulls his to the surface. "Well, thanks for another great work out."

They separate reluctantly and exit the pool, grabbing their towels to dry off.

"So, um…would you like to grab a salad or something for dinner?" He swallows nervously and cannot believe he just asked her that, but part of him feels comfortable with her while another part of him is anxious around her.

Michonne stops in the middle of drying off to give him her full attention. "A salad? With the way we just worked out, I'm voting for a burger. If you're on a health kick, I'll settle for a turkey burger, but we're having a real meal, Grimes."

He laughs with relief as she indirectly accepted his invitation. "So, we'll meet out front in about 30 minutes?"

"Works for me," she agrees as they walk off to the locker rooms.

Forty minutes later, Rick is escorting her to his truck, promising to bring her back to her vehicle after dinner. Shane walks out of the gym and witnesses the two of them together. He rubs his head as Rick glances his way with a smile. He shakes his head as the two of them drive off. "Well, I'll be damned."

_What about matinee movies, morning secrets  
Midnight summers, swim private beaches  
Rock, paper, scissors, wait best out of 3  
My mama said the greatest things in life are free  
What about lust, what about trust  
What about love?_


	25. Grimes v Grimes Chapter 25

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Grimes v Grimes (Chapter 25)

**A/N: This is a sequel to How Many Drinks. Rick and Michonne may be having marital problems. Hope you enjoy.**

They sit on opposite ends of the couch, staring at any and everything but each other and the counselor who sits across from them. The session began five minutes ago and neither of them is willing to start talking about why they are there as the counselor suggested.

The counselor sighs as she is used to this with couples seeking counseling for the first time. They are torn because they want the help, but at the same time don't feel comfortable airing out their problems to a stranger. "Well, I guess we could start with me asking some specific questions. Would that be ok?"

She finally receives eye contact from the wife and a reluctant nod. The husband remains stoic and unresponsive.

"Michonne, why don't you tell me what you're feeling at this exact moment regarding your marriage? What brought you here?"

The beautiful woman drops her eyes to her clasped hands in her lap. "I don't feel loved anymore."

An audible gasp is heard from the opposite end of the couch as her husband turns to her with a look of disbelief on his face.

_Three months ago_

The house is quiet as the couple move to their bedroom after tucking their kids in for the night. Rick begins his nightly routine, preparing for a shower, but Michonne detains him.

"I need to ask you something and I need you to be completely honest with me," she tells him.

"I'm always honest with you," he returns. There has been some slight tension between them as Michonne has started hinting that she would like to start trying for another baby. Something that Rick is not open to.

She sighs as she already knows the answer to the question. She just needs to hear it from him. "Did you buy condoms from Walgreens?"

Rick frowns as he looks at his wife. "What?"

"Condoms? From Walgreens? I was in there today and they always print out coupons based on recent purchases. Imagine my surprise when I got a coupon for a box of Trojan condoms," she informs.

He drops his head, not really ready to reveal or even discuss his purchase. "Yes, I bought them."

"To use them with who?" She demands.

He scoffs. "With you? Who else?"

"Me? Your wife of seven years? The woman that you've never used a condom with? Not even when we were dating?" Michonne is incredulous as she cannot believe what she is hearing at the moment.

"Yes, I bought them to use with you. You've been talking about getting pregnant again and I don't think that's a good idea right now. This is a precaution." He watches as his wife physically deflates.

She sits down on the bed, her back to him. "You're that serious about not having another baby?"

"I told you I was, but you haven't been listening to me. You refused to get your tubes tied after Judy, you stopped using the pill, you'd kill me if I even consider a vasectomy, so what am I supposed to do?" He asks.

"But we talked about this. We talked about trying again," Michonne reminds him.

"No, you talked about it. You made that decision and just assumed that I'd go along with it. I'm not going along with it. You and Judy almost died during childbirth and I refuse to go through that anguish again."

They both fall silent as Michonne can't believe she and her husband are not on the same page about this. Rick is mimicking her thoughts as he can't believe that she won't consider his point of view. His answer is to walk away, moving into the bathroom to start his shower.

Michonne looks at the closed bathroom door and determines right then and there to change his mind. She has no doubt that she can.

A week passes before they even attempt to be intimate again. Michonne initiates the sex and can't describe her disappointment when her husband dutifully pulls out a condom and proceeds to put it on. She knows her best course of action is to leave it alone, but she is just a little upset with him at the moment.

Afterwards, she can't help but broach the subject with him.

"That was different," she surmises.

Rick knows exactly what she is talking about as the sensation was definitely not the same. That thin slip of latex really makes the experience different and it wasn't a good different either. _Damn._ "Yeah it was, but we'll get used to it."

Michonne tries her best not to scream at him. She removes herself from the bed and goes into the bathroom to shower. _How am I going to convince him to get rid of those things?_

Several weeks pass and the relationship has taken a turn for the worse. Rick is limiting their intimate time together as Michonne is getting more vocal about not using the condoms and she is beyond frustrated. He has even taken to spending more unnecessary time at work. Daryl pretty much runs everything and Rick is hardly ever needed, but he has started working a lot of overtime.

Michonne sees right through what he is doing and just bides her time to call him out on it.

It's a Wednesday night and Michonne arrives home, pleasantly surprised that Rick had already picked the kids up from school and daycare. She was expecting them to be home, waiting for her so they could have dinner. She is even more surprised to realize that they are not home. She grabs her cell phone from her purse to call her husband. No answer.

She decides to wait for him to return the call. In the meantime, she is going to enjoy the time alone as she hardly ever gets that at home anymore.

An hour later, she is sitting in the living room, her emotions ranging from worried to pissed off as Rick hasn't called her back and she has no idea where her family could be. She hears the garage door opening and moves into the kitchen to greet them, relieved that they are home and safe.

Her family walks through the kitchen door, Carl and Andre racing to her to give her a hug. Rick is holding Judith who immediately starts reaching for her mom. She gives them the love and affection they are craving before turning her attention to her husband. "Hey. Where were you? I called but you never called back."

"Dad took us to the Kid Zone and we ate pizza and we had ice cream and soda and we had so much fun. We did that on a school night." Six year old Carl is animated as he talks about their outing.

"Well, that was so nice of daddy, wasn't it? Do you guys want anything else to eat?" Michonne asks.

"No, dad said we have to take our baths and get ready for bed as soon as we get home," Andre contributes. "We're gonna be good and obey what he said."

Michonne laughs at her youngest son. "Ok. I'm glad you're going to obey. Come on, let's get ready for bed." She walks out of the kitchen and up the stairs with the kids, trying to rein in her anger. She realizes she shouldn't be too upset, but why didn't Rick call her and let her know what he was doing? Most of all, why didn't he include her?

Days later, she decides to put her anger to the side and be open to enjoying a night out with her husband. They are in Atlanta for the night, celebrating Andrea and Shane's engagement along with Daryl and Sasha. The couples go out for dinner and drinks, catching up with each other and enjoying the company.

Rick's parents drove up from King's County to pick up the kids as they would have them for the entire weekend. Rick insisted that they spend the night at Shane's instead of procuring a hotel room for the night and Michonne realizes why. He refuses to have sex with her under the pretense of being in someone else's house. She laughs to herself as she concludes she is going to have to play dirty in order to get what she wants.

They arrive home late in the afternoon the next day and Michonne immediately puts her plan into action. She leaves him to his own devices, allowing him time to peddle around the house, doing what he enjoys while she relaxes in a nice, scented bath. Curiosity gets the best of him as he hasn't seen his wife since they arrived home. She is in the closet, adjusting her outfit when she hears the bedroom door open and close. She knows her husband so well. She knew it wouldn't be long before he came looking for her.

"Babe?" He calls out to her as he walks further into the room.

She emerges from the closet. "Yes?" Her smile is all knowing as she relishes in his sharp intake of breath at the sight of her. She is wearing an all-white fish net body suit, the contrast of the white against her skin is fascinating and has her husband mesmerized as usual.

He watches with bated breath as she walks up to him, exaggerating the sway of her hips.

She stops just inches from him and turns around in a full circle before facing him again. "You like?" She bites her bottom lip as her husband appears to be speechless, but nods his head slowly, never taking his eyes off her body. She closes the distance between them as she places her hands on his shoulders and pulls him in for a kiss.

Rick responds like a starving man as he has missed times like this with his wife. He feels like it has been a long time for them and he plans to enjoy every second of this lovemaking session.

She knows exactly what she is doing as she starts to place kisses along his jawline, down to his neck, stopping only to lift his t-shirt over his head before she continues. She smiles as his stomach muscles contract with her ministrations. She grabs his belt and starts to unbuckle it, unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans, pushing them down to his ankles. She remains on her knees in front of him, grabbing the bottom of his boxers and pulling them down to reveal his swollen manhood. She smiles as she wraps a hand around him and guides him to her mouth.

Rick jerks with the contact, never tiring of this act no matter how many times she has performed it over the years. He starts to pant as it is never long before he feels the overwhelming sensation of being enveloped in the warmth and moisture of her mouth, her tongue sliding against the most sensitive part of his tip.

She smiles inwardly as she knows she has him right where she wants him. She knows how to drive her husband crazy and that's exactly what she plans to do.

His moans and groans grow louder and shriller as he gets close to his release. He jumps when she cups his sac and increases the pressure and pull of her suction. All he can do is throw his head back and let go.

Michonne feels the vibration of his member, knowing that he is at the brink of release. She pulls him from her mouth with a sound pop and waltzes over to the bed.

Rick looks at her, then down at himself, desperate for her to finish what she started. His eyes find her again and he gasps as she lies back on the bed, spreading her legs, revealing a round opening in the seat of the body suit.

"I want you inside me now….right now," she tells him.

He kicks himself free of his jeans and boxers and races over to the night stand on his side of the bed to retrieve a condom. He frowns with confusion when he can't find the box. He takes another look at his wife. _Fuck it._ He moves over to her, covering her body with his and enters her surely and immediately.

They work together in unison, enjoying each other as always. Michonne is too concentrated on making sure her husband gets off to even consider her own pleasure. She smiles when she feels Rick stiffen, waiting to feel the warmth of his seed as it spills inside of her. She gasps in outrage when she feels him pull out, then frowns as he ejaculates into his hand.

"Why would you do that?!" She yells in frustration.

His breathing is accelerated as he moves to the bathroom to wash and dry his hands. He walks back into the bedroom, looking directly at her. "The same reason you took those condoms out of the night stand." He points a finger in that direction.

She sighs as she knows she is guilty. "Just tell me why. Why can't we have another baby?" The tears start to flow as the frustration of the situation hasn't left her.

Rick scrubs his face with both hands as he never wants to see her cry, but he just can't give in on this. He sits on the bed, gathering her into his arms. "Please don't do this. You know there isn't anything in this world I wouldn't do for you, but babe, you need to understand. I almost lost you. How can you even ask me to take another chance like that? The doctor told us another pregnancy would be high risk. Knowing that, I don't see how you're even considering it."

She sniffs as she listens quietly. "Because I know it would be ok just like it was before. We can do this."

He sits her up beside him and turns toward her as he cups her face. "I'm not agreeing to this. I'm not going to do it, so just stop this and get it out of your head." He searches her eyes, hoping she will finally relinquish this idea of hers. "If you don't, I'll just look into a vasectomy."

Her eyes narrow with anger and more tears form as she realizes her husband is serious and he won't cave on this. She backs away from him, pulling her face out of his hands as she slowly climbs from the bed and walks into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

A silence develops between them and only seems to grow as Rick retreats more and more, spending more time at work than at home. Michonne grows resentful and feels neglected. Their sex life suffers as she feels she is not receiving what she needs from him and she refuses to use condoms. Rick feels she will have an ulterior motive when it comes to sex, so he never initiates it. They miss each other immensely, but both are stubborn and refuse to give even a little.

Michonne realizes they need help as she actually fumes with anger and considers divorce for the very first time in her marriage. It's Saturday morning and Rick failed to come home, call, or even answer his cell phone the night before. Her mind is racing with all sorts of possibilities as she sits in the living room, contemplating what to do. What breaks her heart the most is the children asking about their father's whereabouts and the fact that she chooses to lie instead of telling them she doesn't know.

He walks through the door in the same clothes as the day before, looking disheveled and hung over. He drops his head as soon as he sees her. "I'm sorry. I got drunk with Shane and fell out at his place."

"And is that supposed to explain away the fact that you didn't call? I sat here awake all night wondering if something had happened to you and you were too busy getting drunk, so you say, to even let me know you were ok?" She tears up as she can't believe that he would be that insensitive and uncaring.

"I was wrong and I'm sorry. Things….I hate this strain between us, so I met up with Shane and I had every intention of coming home. I just had too much to drink and that wasn't the best idea," he explains.

"So, Shane was too drunk to call me? Where was Andrea? Was she drunk too or ARE YOU JUST FUCKING LYING TO MY FACE?!" She stops her tirade as she hears little feet pounding down the stairs.

Andre and Carl come racing towards Rick, yelling "Daddy!"

She leaves the room, making her way to Judith's bedroom, spending time with her baby girl in an effort to calm down. She avoids her husband as much as she can, still unable to believe his irresponsibility. She did not deserve this behavior as she would never act in this way towards him.

Later that night, she listens as he apologizes but her feelings are just numb. She's angry about his stance on another pregnancy, she's angry about him staying out all night, she's angry that he is the cause of the state she's in, and most of all, she hates the fact that she is angry and can't seem to let it go. She wants to get to a better place, but can't even begin to contemplate how to do that as the anger has completely taken over.

Rick realizes they're in trouble when Michonne completely shuts down. She only speaks to him when it is necessary, she never initiates sex anymore and when he does, she allows him to wear a condom without one complaint. He doesn't know what to do. Will she talk to him if he attempts to engage her to find out what they can do? He still loves his wife and doesn't want to lose his family. He is so desperate that he may even reconsider another pregnancy.

They are lying in bed, wide awake, but silent. Michonne has come to a conclusion and she feels she'd better let her husband in on it as he will be affected.

"Rick, I think we need to see a marriage counselor. I haven't been able to let go of this anger and it's starting to scare me. I don't want to live like this anymore, so if we can't fix it, we may as well call it quits." She watches as he pops up to look at her.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying? You'd actually walk away from me because I don't want another baby?" He asks in disbelief.

"It's more than that and you know it. Do you want to save this marriage?"

He nods quickly. "Yes. Yes, I do, but counseling? Do we really have to do that?"

"It's that or a divorce. You choose." With that, she turns her back to him and tries unsuccessfully to get some sleep.

He falls back onto his pillow, feelings of anxiety and anger warring with each other. Anxiety because the last thing he wants is to lose his family. He still loves his wife. Nothing will ever change that. On the other hand, he feels anger because she has the audacity to give him an ultimatum. She's just as responsible as he is for the decline of their marriage.

**A/N: Part II will be up soon. Thank you.**


	26. Grimes v Grimes Part II Chapter 26

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Grimes v Grimes Part II (Chapter 26)

**A/N: Guest review: Two stubborn mules. A: Yes, they are. So glad you surmised that as that is exactly what I was going for. LOL! Thanks.**

_Present Day_

The counselor looks to Rick, gauging his reaction. "Do you have something to say, Rick?"

He turns his attention to the counselor. "I love my wife. I always will. Nothing has changed that."

"Thank you for your honesty. Michonne, would you like to respond to that? Do you still love your husband?" The counselor inquires.

Michonne nods sadly, trying to control her tears. "I do. I'll always love him, but this anger is consuming me and I'm blaming him for everything and if I don't get past this, I don't see a future for us."

Rick attempts to respond directly to her, but the counselor stops him. She wants the couple to talk to her first in an effort to encourage them to talk freely without judgment. In her experience, if they engage each other too soon in the session, the honesty falls to the wayside as they feel like they have more of an audience.

"To be frank. That's a good start for the both of you. You have established that there is still love in this marriage and if there is still love, then there will be an effort to save what you have. Now, let's talk a little more about what brought you here and then we'll discuss your assignment for the week." The counselor smiles as she directs a question to Rick and he readily answers it.

Their first week entailed reconnecting as friends. They could discuss world events, politics, work issues, their kids, entertainment, but nothing about their problems or what they expected from each other if that could be avoided. Most of all, no sex, although the counselor was sure to say that would be at their discretion. The only problem with reestablishing their friendship is it reminded them of when they first met and Michonne wanted to throw caution to the wind and reconnect completely with her husband. They both refrained reluctantly, wanting to genuinely give this process an honest chance.

The following week with the counselor, they discussed their feelings about their problems and if any changes had occurred. The counselor is proud to notate some progress. Her next suggestion is a couple of dates, one with just the two of them and one as a family with the kids. It is to help remind them of what they've considered important in their lives.

Rick makes an effort to recreate that wonderful night he and the kids shared at the Kid Zone, only this time he wholeheartedly includes his wife. They haven't had that much fun as a family in a while and the two of them vow quietly to do this more often. The kids are over the moon with happiness. Once they arrive home, Rick prepares the boys for bed while Michonne takes care of Judith.

The couple is now in their bedroom, preparing for bed themselves as they laugh and recollect about that evening's family night. Michonne shyly gazes at her husband, the emotions and feelings of attraction very strong tonight. She misses the connection sex provides and it's all she can think about, but she really wants the counseling to work and doesn't want anything to jeopardize the effort they put into repairing their marriage.

Rick watches his wife hungrily, willing to do anything and everything she wants just to get a taste of her. His eyes follow her as she moves over to the dresser, collecting a silk nightie, preparing for a shower. He walks up behind her, their gazes locking in the mirror.

She drops her clothes as Rick places his hands on her hips and pulls her back against him. Her hands automatically reach behind her, grabbing onto his hips. "We shouldn't….."

He pulls on her locs gently, moving them aside as he drops his mouth to her neck. "She didn't say we couldn't." He opens his mouth and suckles her skin, drawing a deep moan from her.

She brings a hand up to his head, running her fingers through his short curls. "Rick, we have to consider other things. I….I want to respect your wishes…about the pregnancy, so….." She gasps as her husband turns her around to face him.

"Then just let me taste you. I'll be satisfied with that." He swoops in, connecting their lips, immediately opening his mouth searching with his tongue.

She accepts him readily, sliding her tongue against his as she wraps her arms around his neck. They kiss as if they haven't seen each other in weeks. Moments later, they move off to the shower where they satisfy each other orally and end the night wrapped in each other's arms, both sighing with contentment before they drift off to sleep.

Saturday night arrives and they call on their neighbor's teenage daughter, as they have before, to babysit the kids while they go out on a date. Rick won't tell Michonne what he has arranged so she sits on pins and needles with excitement. It's not long before she realizes they are headed to the city. She gasps in surprise as Rick parks in the square near the restaurant where they had their first date. Her eyes sting with tears as she recalls that wonderful night.

"Hey. You're not supposed to be crying," he tells her.

She gives a light laugh as she dabs at her eyes. "Sorry. I just….remember that night so vividly. It was one of the best dates I ever had."

"Well, let's see if we can make this date even better."

_This is so much better_. Michonne is thinking to herself as she and Rick laugh and gyrate on the dance floor to a cheesy 80's tune being belted out by a live band.

He wanted them to remember how good it was when they first met, so he enlisted Shane's help in finding this place. He was more than surprised when he realized they hosted an 80's night with a live band. He knew his wife would love it and he was right in his assumption as he watches her laugh and dance, looking beautiful and carefree.

Hours later, they are in the car, making their way home when Michonne leans over and kisses her husband sweetly on the cheek. Rick looks over at her quickly and realizes she is definitely in a mood. He can barely keep his eyes on the road as his wife starts to cup her breasts and squeeze them.

"Babe…I need to drive and I can't with you doing that."

She lowers her hands to her thighs and slowly pulls her skirt up, exposing her toned, beautiful thighs inch by inch. "Maybe you should pull over."

He frantically makes a detour, finding a deserted parking lot, puts the car in park, snaps out of his seatbelt, and adjusts his seat, moving it back as far as possible as well as reclining it. He watches as his wife smiles, releases her seatbelt and quietly removes her panties. His hands automatically reach for his belt buckle and he breathes shakily as his wife assists him in unbuttoning and unzipping his pants to allow his manhood to spring forth freely.

She straddles him, sinking down on him with no words spoken between them. Just deep, throaty moans and heavy breathing. She leans forward in an effort to prevent her head from hitting the roof and moves up and down on her husband as if their very lives depended on it.

Rick grabs her ass, matching her frantic movements as they both seek release. He leans up slightly and captures her mouth with his, sucking her tongue into his mouth with a groan. All the problems, the anger, and the angst are forgotten in that moment and they are just two people in love, sharing their bodies in the most primal way.

His body jerks with his climax, his seed pouring out of his body and into hers, but he keeps moving determined that his wife will get a release as well. Seconds later, she cries out as her body stiffens and her sex clenches around his over and over again.

She drops her head to his shoulder with a laugh. "Did we just fool around in our car?"

He laughs with her, squeezing her butt gently. "Yes, we did and it was so fucking good. Damn, woman you never cease to blow my mind." He kisses her cheek. "I love you. I'm still….in love with you."

She lifts her head to look into his eyes. "And I'm still in love with you."

The following week, they are spending Friday night in King's County at Michonne's suggestion, attending a high school football game at Rick's alma mater. He has talked about attending a game for years, but never made the time to do it. Michonne thought it was time that he did, so she made all of the arrangements and even invited Shane, Andrea, Daryl, Sasha, and Rick's parents.

Rick is having the best time as being home and at his old school is bringing back some wonderful memories. He is even more surprised when he and Shane are recognized as former football players during the half time show.

The weekend turns into one for football as Rick travels to Atlanta with Shane and Daryl to take in a college game on Saturday and a professional game on Sunday. Michonne opted to remain home with the kids and allow her husband some time with his friends.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

"I messed up, Andrea. Oh god….he's going to be so upset." Michonne is at her best friend's apartment, spending the weekend with her on the pretense of planning for Andrea and Shane's upcoming wedding.

"Michonne, you and Rick have always been able to talk to each other. Just tell him. Besides, it takes two to tango. You didn't do this all by yourself."

"But this is what we went to counseling for. I put all of that pressure on him…" She stops as Andrea interrupts her.

"Wait. Counseling? The two of _you_ are in counseling? What's going on? Why didn't you tell me?" Andrea asks.

Michonne sighs. "Because I knew if I told you, you'd tell me how unreasonable I was being."

"You wanna back up and tell me what's really going on?"

Minutes later, Andrea is shaking her head at her best friend, but decides not to judge or chastise her.

"I'm sorry things got so bad between you two but I have to say, Michonne….can't you see how much that man loves you? There is nothing in this world he wouldn't do for you, but he put his foot down about this because he was afraid he'd lose you." Andrea stares into her friend's eyes, hoping she can understand what she has with her husband.

Michonne looks away out of guilt, knowing that Andrea is right. "I know. I realize that now. I see how unreasonable I was being and honestly, it all boiled down to the fact that he wouldn't give in. We only have two sessions left and things are going so well. I'm going to put us back at square one if I'm pregnant."

She rubs her forehead, anxiously. "He's going to think I did this on purpose. That everything we've done for the last few weeks was for nothing."

"Come on. We're going to the drug store. You'll take one of those at home tests and at least know for sure," Andrea suggests.

Michonne agrees as they grab their purses and exit the apartment.

The next day, Michonne arrives home and is a nervous wreck. She exchanges a kiss and greeting with her husband, trying her best to hide her emotions but he picks up on it immediately.

"Everything go ok with Andrea?" He asks as she bends down to shower kisses and hugs on the children, telling them how much she missed them.

She stands, but avoids his eyes as she says, "Of course." She moves off to the kitchen. "I'm gonna start on dinner."

Rick eyes her bags by the front door with a frown. She always unpacks her bags after a trip or overnight stay. That's the first thing she does after greeting him and the kids…always. The other thing he noticed is that she parked the car in the garage, but took the time to walk from the garage to the front door instead of taking the garage entrance to the kitchen which is the norm and the closest entrance. _Was she trying to prolong coming into the house?_

The boys return to watching their DVD while Judy is entertaining herself with some blocks. Rick picks her up and places her in a sectioned off corner in the living room, child proofed just for her. He tells the boys to keep an eye on their sister and makes his way to the kitchen.

Michonne is so intent on slicing up some vegetables she doesn't hear his approach. She jumps with a gasp when Rick reaches out and touches her arm. A hand goes to her stomach. "You scared me."

"You wanna talk about it?" He asks.

"About what?" She returns.

"Come on, something's bothering you. I can tell. What's going on? You and Andrea didn't agree on your dress for the wedding?" He laughs, but tapers off as his wife looks at him with a serious expression.

"I'm…late. My period's late…and I took a pregnancy test, but it didn't read right, so I guess I need to go to the doctor," she ends with a deep exhale as she places the knife on the cutting board and turns her body to fully face her husband.

Rick closes his eyes as he pinches the bridge of his nose. He drops his head as he runs a thumb across his bottom lip, appearing to be deep in thought.

"I'm sorry. I know this is what I wanted, but I swear I didn't plan this. I didn't trick you." She pauses, waiting for him to say something. "Please…don't be angry."

He looks over at her, everything in him wanting to be angry, but he pulls from memory all the great advice from the counselor, the moments he and his wife have shared over the past several weeks, and he realizes that maybe this was just meant to happen.

He pulls her into his arms and holds her gently, smiling when he feels her physically relax against him and wraps her arms around his waist. "I'm not angry. Maybe a little scared, but we'll go to the doctor and find out and just go from there." He leans back and lifts her chin with a finger. "Ok?"

She nods and agrees with "Ok" as she accepts his kiss gratefully.

Two days later, they're sitting in the car outside of the doctor's office. Rick is holding Michonne while she cries softly.

"Am I to take it you're disappointed?" He asks.

She nods slowly with a sniff. "Disappointed….and relieved." She pulls back to look at him. "I really did want another baby, but not if it's going to put us at odds with each other. We have three beautiful children and I'm happy…with them, with you. I don't need anything else." She pauses with a sigh. "I'm sorry for being unreasonable. For not taking your feelings into consideration, but I understand now and I'm willing to forego my plans to give you that peace of mind."

Rick inhales and exhales deeply. "I'm probably going to regret this, but…babe, if you want another baby, we can try for another baby. I want you to be ok and if that's what you need…."

She interrupts him with a sound kiss as she hugs him tightly. The tears continue to come as she giggles with happiness. All the anger, the angst is forgotten with those words spoken by her husband. That's what she needed. Just for him to "say" it was ok, but the counseling sessions helped to bring them to this place and she is most grateful. They have two more sessions to complete and she is going to do it proudly.

"I love you so much, Rick Grimes."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

They are attending their last counseling session and Dr. Prescott is proud to announce that their marriage has been saved and appears stronger than ever. She wants to make one last suggestion before they depart.

"I just want to congratulate you both as you worked really hard and did everything required of you to contribute in bringing your marriage back to a peaceful place. I have one more suggestion and I've been pondering over this for weeks, especially when I would study your case file. A lot of this inconsistency began with the potential of another pregnancy. I understand both of you have come to an agreement on that which if fine, but have either of you ever considered adoption? It truly is a wonderful experience. My husband and I adopted our daughter 5 years ago and we were very happy with the process. I will warn you. The process is lengthy, but it was worth it." She smiles as the couple look to one another, contemplating her words.

She hands a business card to Michonne. "Please. There's no pressure from me. Just something to consider to bring this process full circle so to speak. It really has been a pleasure getting to know both of you and don't take this the wrong way, but I hope to never see you again."

The trio laughs as Dr. Prescott adds, "At least not on a professional level."

Epilogue: Eighteen months later, Rick and Michonne welcomed a beautiful baby girl to their family by means of adoption.


	27. No Attachments Chapter 27

Richonne (Short Love Stories) No Attachments (Chapter 27)

**A/N: This is a sequel to Do You (Scenario I). Hope you enjoy.**

Michonne smiles, listening to Rick pant her name over and over again as she pushes up onto her knees and moves up, then down on his manhood repeatedly. She grinds against him slowly, moving her hips in a circular motion. She grabs his hands and smacks them soundly against her ass, satisfied when he squeezes tight and holds on for dear life.

"How does it feel, Rick, huh? Tell me. How does it feel?" She asks in between breaths.

He groans, closing his eyes and rolling his head against the pillow. "So fucking good. Unbelievably good." He hisses as she clenches around him. He opens his eyes to glare at her as she knows how crazy that drives him. It makes him want to freaking scream.

She can't believe she is about to orgasm already. She looks down at Rick, thinking how the sex just keeps getting better and better with him. She gasps as the sensation rolls through her body and her sex pulls at his intensely. She throws her head back with a loud groan, trying her best to keep grinding against him as the feeling is so overwhelmingly pleasant.

Rick takes that as his que as he effortlessly flips her over onto her back and slides into her welcoming core, shuddering as her warmth envelopes him. He drapes her legs over his forearms and goes as deep as he can, satisfied with her low, throaty moan. He moves slowly, wanting to prolong this for hours if possible. He never gets enough of being with her.

She grasps at his thighs, her nails scraping against him. "Oh…..oh…"

"Say it," he pants as he drives into her with a little more force.

"Rick….."

"No. Say it. I want to hear you say it." When she doesn't comply, he stops and looks down at her.

She returns his gaze, her eyes questioning him as she wiggles her hips in an attempt to get him to move again.

He remains immobile, willing to wait her out.

She sighs heavily. "Fuck me….please."

He tilts his head. "Well since you said please." He slams into her, drawing an audible gasp.

She thought she preferred the soft and gentle lovemaking, but Rick Grimes loves her so good that she gets off no matter if he is slow and gentle or fast paced and rough. Tonight he wants to be rough and she is loving it.

He releases her legs, dropping his chest to hers as he wraps his arms around her and holds her tightly. He continues to move, pushing into her over and over again.

A feeling of total consumption overtakes her as he is affecting all five of her senses at the same time. She can smell him as the scent of his cologne and shampoo drift to her, she can hear him as he is right by her ear, panting heavily as their bodies work in unison, she is touching him as she is holding him just as tightly as he is holding her, she can see him as she loves to look down and watch his ass pump up and then down, and most of all, she can taste him as his seed from their first session of the night still lingers in her mouth. She can feel him from her head all the way down to her toes as what he is invoking at her core is spreading sensations to every nerve ending in her body.

He lifts his head to look into her eyes and she gets so lost in them that she has to close her eyes against the emotion she detects.

Pressing her cheek against his shoulder, she holds on as he takes her on yet another incredible journey. Her groans grow louder as she feels the tiny sparks clamor throughout her body as she begins to release.

_I love you. I love you so much._ Her eyes pop open in a panic as she comprehends the words she just spoke in her head about Rick. The more he drives into her, the more she wants to shout it out loud. Feeling she is unable to control what might come tumbling out of her mouth, she bites into his shoulder as she continues to rock against him, riding out her orgasm.

She is so thankful when she feels him stiffen, an indication that he has reached his peak. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out. She needed to disconnect from him so she could clear her head and start thinking logically.

As expected, he goes into cuddle mode immediately afterwards, holding her closely by his side. Not much later, she can feel him relax as he falls asleep, giving her time to reflect on their relationship and her new revelation.

Six months earlier, she and Rick met through mutual friends and made a connection instantaneously. They were both divorced and the fact that neither of them wanted to marry again is what prompted their friends to set up an introduction.

Michonne was glad Rick was on the same page as her because her attraction to him was strong and evident. They agreed to start seeing each other, but strictly as friends who like to do more than friendship type things every now and again. Every now and again has turned into once a week, either on his weekend without his son or during the week when he is not available on the weekend.

She knew from the first night that they had a lot in common and that he was easy to talk to, but she made it clear….no attachments. He agreed.

She turns to watch him as he sleeps, wondering when she could have possibly fallen for him. She sighs heavily and looks up at the ceiling. _This is so bad. This cannot be happening._

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

The week passes by, uneventful as usual, and Michonne wonders what excuse she can give Rick for not seeing him this weekend. She has always made herself available which may be why she is in the predicament she finds herself in. She needs to put some distance between them, so she sends him a text telling him that something came up and she has to visit her parents for the weekend. She hates lying as she feels it always comes back to haunt her, so she immediately calls her mom and makes plans to visit home.

She knows she is running scared and hasn't run from anything or anyone in her life, but she has to be truthful when it comes to Rick Grimes. He scares the crap out of her as she realizes that she would change her game plan of no attachments just for him. _Shit._

Rick sits at his desk, frowning as he reads Michonne's text message. He realizes how much he's going to miss her and immediately relays that in a return message. He regrets it as soon he hits the send button as he shouldn't be saying those types of things. She made it abundantly clear what the nature of their relationship would be, but he brushes it off. _I'm only being truthful._

He concludes that something may be amiss as she cancels on him Wednesday night, citing drinks with her co-workers. He has no clue how to address this situation as they agreed no strings or keeping tabs on each other. All he can do is sit back and let the chips fall where they may.

He reflects on the last six months and surmises that he has never been happier. Of course, he wanted more but didn't want to scare her off, so he kept those feelings to himself. He shakes his head pensively and opts to order pizza and watch a basketball game on TV.

Michonne is missing Rick something awful and needs to utilize all of her willpower not to reach out to him or jump into her car and drive to King's County tonight. She needs a distraction and what better way to distract yourself from a man than with another man. She smiles at the guy who's been checking her out from the bar.

Moments later, he sends a drink to her table and she gladly accepts.

The next night she is on a date with Lawrence Felding and wondering why she ever agreed to this. He is an attorney, so that's one thing they have in common. He is also extremely attractive, but she finds herself comparing him to Rick. Something she knows is completely unorthodox. She keeps glancing at her phone, wondering why Rick hasn't called her. For some reason, she thought he would have reached out to her by now. She realizes that would only complicate the situation, but she actually misses his voice. She misses him. _What is he thinking? Is he missing me? Maybe the no attachments arrangement is working seamlessly for him._

Rick is sitting in his living room, nursing his second beer, and watching his cell phone, willing it to ring. He wants so badly to hear Michonne's voice, to see her, but irrevocably realizes that he has to play this cool. He needs to leave the ball in her court so to speak. He scrubs his face with his free hand, wondering what he may have ensconced himself in as he realizes this woman already has his heart. He questions whether he will ever have hers.

Lawrence is escorting Michonne to her car after dinner, asking if he will see her again.

She cringes inwardly. "That would be nice. I…." She stops as she feels his hand at her elbow. She allows him to pull her toward him and place a light kiss on her cheek. She gives him a slight smile and he takes it as encouragement as he leans further in and covers her mouth with his. An image of a smiling Rick, crinkles by his dancing blue eyes, flashes in her memory and she immediately regrets everything she has done for the past two weeks.

"I….I'm sorry, Lawrence. I really should have been honest with you, but there is someone else. I'm really sorry." She climbs into her car and drives straight to King's County.

She stands on the porch, wondering for the 100th time what she is doing, but she has come this far, so she may as well go for it. She rings the doorbell and knocks soundly on the door. She tries to wait patiently but can't. Just as she is about to knock again, the porch light pops on and Rick slowly opens the door.

"Michonne? What is it? What's wrong?" He asks, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

_He's so adorable._ She takes in his bare chest and how low his pajama pants are riding. "Can I…..come in?"

He steps back immediately, apologizing. "I'm not fully awake yet." He watches as she walks by him, taking in the nice, lacy black dress and strappy heels.

She turns to face him as he closes and locks the door. Her emotions overwhelm her as she realizes how much she has missed him. She allows them to guide her as she tosses her purse on the sofa and walks over to him. "I missed you," she says before pressing her lips against his and placing her hands at his shoulders.

Rick wants so badly to give in, but realizes what he must do. He places his hands on her biceps and gently pushes her away from him. "No. I can't do this."

Michonne blinks rapidly, not sure she heard him correctly. "What?"

"I'm not doing this anymore." He steps further away from her. "This arrangement isn't working for me."

She didn't think her heart could race any faster, but she has just proven herself wrong. "If this is about the last two weeks, I was just busy….with work and some other….." She trails off as Rick gives her a look, letting her know he doesn't believe her.

"I didn't ask for any explanations. It's fine. You told me what this was from the beginning. You also told me that if either of us changed our minds, we could walk away….no hard feelings, remember?"

Michonne nods, her words coming back to mock her. "So what happens if I have changed my mind, but I don't want to walk away?"

Rick frowns. "What?"

"I know I said no attachments, that we'd only be sex partners or whatever, but somewhere along the way that changed. I do want the attachments and I want to be attached to you." Michonne watches him closely, unsure of putting her heart on the line again but this happened for a reason and she'd rather know if this was worth all the trouble rather than running away and never knowing.

"Are you sure about that?" He asks.

She nods.

"How do you know?" He continues.

"Huh?"

"How do you know you want to be attached to me?" Rick is loving watching her squirm just a bit. She's not so sure of herself and he likes that she is allowing herself to be vulnerable to him. It reveals to him that she does feel something for him, something strong.

She closes her eyes as she swallows nervously. _You can tell him and hope for the best or you can walk away and never know the potential of this relationship._ "I know….I want to be attached to you because I…..because I'm in love with you."

His heart swells and pumps even more anxiously as her words seem to surround him and envelope him in the warmest embrace he has ever felt. He nods slowly. "Well, that sure is a relief."

"Relief?" She looks at him curiously.

"Yes, a relief. Because I'm in love with you, too."

She's not sure what she was even afraid of as she looks into his eyes and all the answers to her questions are right there. _Why didn't I recognize this before?_

She steps to him, placing a hand over his heart. "I really missed you." She leans in and kisses his chest softly.

Rick welcomes her touch, bringing his hands up to gently grasp at the ends of her locs hanging against her breasts. He brushes her chest, knowingly, then brings his hands up, one going to the back of her head to pull her in for a kiss.

Their mouths open against each other, their tongues colliding over and over again. What they are feeling is urgent and primal as Rick lowers her to the floor gently, his hand resting in the middle of her back.

She watches as he pushes her dress up and snatches her thong away from her body before burying his face in between her thighs. She cries out as she feels his tongue at her core. She loves this act with him, the way he makes her feel, but she needs all of him, she needs to feel him fill her. "Rick….Rick please. I need you. I want you to fuck me."

He looks up with a smile, realizing he didn't have to coax her to say it this time. He pushes his pajama bottoms down and enters her with one quick thorough thrust.

They both close their eyes with the connection having missed each other more than they imagined. Their bodies move together frantically, seeking completion.

_I love you. I love you._ Michonne is repeating those three words over and over again in her head. She realizes she doesn't have to keep it to herself any more. She grabs his face, searching his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too" he says before he leans in and captures her lips with his.


	28. Out of Order Chapter 28

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Out of Order (Chapter 28)

**A/N: Special thanks to Carolina-bleus for her awesome input with this story**.

Michonne splashes water on her face, trying to wake up and prepare for work. Monday morning seems to arrive faster and faster these days. She sighs heavily as she pat dries her face and looks in the mirror. Her eyes are still red from the crying session she had the night before.

Saturday marked the fourth baby shower she had attended in only a matter of weeks. Everyone around her is married and having children while she is divorced and childless. It never bothered her before, but it's bothering her now. The plan for her life hit an extreme snag two and a half years ago when she found out Mike was cheating on her. She can tolerate a lot of things, but infidelity isn't one of them.

She'll be 35 in two weeks and according to her previous plan, she should have a one year old right now and planning for the next addition. She normally doesn't let it upset her, but lately she can't help wondering about the direction her life is taking. She doesn't want to die alone and childless. She quickly gives herself a shake, trying to dispel the dark thoughts.

Her cell phone chimes, alerting her that she has an incoming text message. She walks into her bedroom and retrieves the phone from its charging dock and reads the message.

_Morning beautiful. We still on for breakfast? Meet me at 9?_

She smiles to herself and responds with an affirmative. Rick has been a close friend of hers for the last two years. They met in a support group for divorcees and later realized they had mutual friends and common interests. She hasn't shared any of her feelings about children with him but surmises that he may be able to offer some advice since he is a parent himself.

Later that day, she is relaying her conversation with Rick to another good friend and her business partner, Andrea. She actually followed Andrea to King's County once she made up her mind to divorce. She didn't want to live in the city anymore and Andrea was starting a new practice and needed the help. It was a great decision as their law practice has been successful and she has met some kind people in King's County. Unfortunately, no one she wants to be in a relationship with so therein lies the problem of parenthood.

"Wow! I never knew you felt so strongly about kids. You seemed to take an instant liking to Carl, but I haven't seen you interact with any other children. Are you sure about this?" Andrea asks.

Michonne nods. "It's been a desire of mine since before I got married. Mike and I always had plans for kids. We were just waiting for the right time. Now, I'm ready but no husband, no boyfriend. What am I going to do?"

"You're just going to have to find a boyfriend. I'd prefer a husband, though," Andrea suggests.

Michonne nods. "I really don't want to go through all the trouble of dating again and getting to know someone. I want to skip all that and have a baby."

Andrea frowns. "Michonne, that's usually not how things work. There's a code of order, you know. Girl meets guy, girl marries guy, girl and guy have babies. How are you going to get to the babies without the other stuff?"

"Well, I haven't researched it yet, but what do you think about artificial insemination?" Michonne asks.

"Are you serious? You'd have a baby by a random donor and never know who the father is?"

"You make it sound so cold and mechanical," Michonne inputs.

"Because it is. Having a baby is supposed to be a special time in your life and shared with someone special, namely someone you're in love with and married to." Andrea looks pointedly at her friend.

"So now that you're engaged, you want everyone else to get married? It just doesn't work out for everyone all the time, Andrea," Michonne returns sadly.

"Ok, ok, I get it. I'll support you no matter what you decide. Just give it some thought before you make up your mind. This is going to be life changing for you." Andrea gives her a quick squeeze to the hand. "I really think you should know the father as well. Just saying. You know, there's adoption, too."

"I thought about adoption, but I really want the whole pregnancy experience. Is that wrong?" Michonne asks.

"Of course not. This is your decision to make, so you need to do what works for you."

Hearing Andrea's thoughts about the situation only confirms that she probably shouldn't share the idea of artificial insemination with Rick. She basically just told him of her desire to have kids and of course he thought it was a great idea and teasingly inquired about who she was dating and hoping to marry.

There was at least one drawback of living in the south. Most people still held onto the traditional ways of doing things. It is unheard of for a single young woman to knowingly plan to have a child on her own.

Friday night arrives much to Michonne's relief as she looks forward to getting together with friends. They try to plan something at least twice a month. Tonight, she is hosting Andrea, Shane, and Rick. She invited a couple of other friends, but they declined at the last minute.

She arrives home around 5:45 pm and starts to prepare the patio for her get-together. The weather is pleasant, not too warm and not too cool, so she thinks dinner by the pool will be welcomed.

She has just emerged from the shower when the doorbell chimes. _Rick_. _He is always early._ She smiles as she grabs a silk robe and races down the stairs to let him in. She opens the door, inviting him inside and gasps with surprise as he hands her a bouquet of yellow roses.

"Thank you. These are beautiful." She takes in their scent as he closes the door and follows her to the kitchen. She is putting water in a vase as he takes a seat at the bar.

"So how was your week?" She asks curiously.

"The usual. It's always quiet around here, but I'm not complaining." He frowns as he notices the front of her robe is slightly damp and the shape of her chest is perfectly outlined. He clears his throat and looks away. "Yours?"

"It was interesting. Andrea and I have started delving into real estate law. You wouldn't believe the number of family squabbles over land and we're just getting started," she relays.

"So, you're really settling in and liking it here?" Rick inquires.

"What's not to like? Everybody's friendly and welcoming….well, except for Mr. Dale. I don't know why he doesn't like me but he stops by the office like clockwork every month. He could take care of his payment by phone if he hates coming into town so much." Michonne laughs.

"Dale hates everybody….I think. He hasn't been the same since his wife died," Rick informs her.

"I heard about that. I guess I shouldn't be so rough on him, huh?" She places the roses in the vase. "I'm going upstairs to get dressed. I'll be right back."

Rick nods as she walks towards the stairs and disappears. He removes his jacket, draping it on the back of the barstool and moves into the kitchen to start setting up for dinner.

Ten minutes later, Michonne joins him again. "Aren't you the sweetest and I didn't even have to ask?"

Rick smiles. "Just trying to be a gracious guest."

"Well, thank you gracious guest. I was thinking we could eat out by the pool tonight. Is that ok with you?" She asks.

"Sounds great to me," he returns as he prepares to start taking the food outside.

The doorbell chimes and Michonne moves off to answer the door. Shane and Andrea have arrived and dinner can commence. They all exchange greetings as Michonne takes the wine Shane brought and walks back to the kitchen to prepare drinks for everyone.

Thirty minutes later, they are well into the Mexican feast Michonne prepared and the wine Shane brought, laughing and talking as usual.

"So I heard all about your exciting news, Michonne," Shane smiles at her, knowingly.

"What exciting news?" She inquires.

"The um….artificial insemination," Shane informs.

Michonne almost spews the wine from her mouth as she throws a piercing look at Andrea.

Rick is just as shocked. "The what?!"

"Yeah, man. Your buddy here is so desperate to have a baby she's considering doing the whole donor thang," Shane says.

Michonne looks to Rick to explain. For some reason, she feels a need to. "That is not entirely true. I haven't even researched it yet."

"Researched it? So, you are considering it?" Rick proffers.

"I don't know. Maybe," she answers.

"Believe me. I told her it was a horrible idea. Who wants to have a baby and can't tell the child who his father is?" Andrea inputs.

"You don't have to make it sound so….Maury Povich," Michonne retorts.

They all laugh at her comment.

"I can't believe you're serious about this. You're a beautiful, big hearted woman, Michonne. You'll meet the right person and get married again. Just be patient," Rick inserts.

Michonne sighs. "I'll be 35 soon. My clock is kind of ticking pretty loudly right now. I don't have time to fall in love and get married. Besides, it's been two years. If I was going to meet someone, wouldn't he have made an appearance by now?"

"Well, first of all, you need to be open to meeting Mr. Right. You haven't exactly been trying to meet new people," Andrea reminds her.

"Why do I need to be in love and married to have a child? I can raise a baby by myself," Michonne announces.

"It just sounds wrong. The kid not knowing who his dad is. You, at least, need to know the guy. Someone you're compatible with. I mean, you don't have to get married or anything. Some dudes may be ok with just donating their little swimmers," Shane laughs.

Michonne wishes they would move on to something else. They're making her feel really self-conscious about this.

"Honestly, maybe you could treat it like a business arrangement or something. Draw up a contract with the do's and don'ts," Andrea suggests.

"This is not a joke, Andrea," Michonne returns.

"I know. I'm being serious."

"Let's just put it all on the table. You want a guy around your age, no attachments I assume. He should want a kid too although I guess you'll have to work out how much involvement you want him to have. He should be healthy, handsome…you want the kid to be good looking. Gainfully employed….damn baby who did I just describe?" Shane looks to Andrea.

She laughs. "Oh my goodness. Are you game, Rick?"

Rick starts coughing as the wine he just sipped went down the wrong pipe. He quickly recovers and clears his throat. "Huh? What?"

"Yeah, man. You always said you wanted another kid. This would be the perfect opportunity." Shane smiles at his best friend.

Rick and Michonne look at each other then back to Andrea and Shane, both at a loss for words.

"It would be perfect when I think about it. You two have been friends for a while now, so you're familiar with each other, you're both divorced, around the same age, you both want kids….this would be great." Andrea smiles. "You know I did a little research after we talked and there are ways to get this done without actually having sex. You ever heard of the turkey baster method?"

"This is too much." Michonne jumps up from the table and moves into the house to grab another bottle of wine.

Thankfully, they were able to move on to other topics of discussion, giving Michonne a much needed break. She bids them all a good night around 11:00 pm, saving the clean-up for Saturday morning.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Another week has passed and Michonne is out celebrating her birthday with friends. They are at her favorite restaurant, having dinner and drinks. Andrea, Shane, Rick, Sasha, Daryl, Tyreese, Karen, Maggie, and Glenn are all in attendance to help her celebrate her 35th birthday. She always has the best time with her friends and she is more than thankful for all the love they give her.

Hours later, they are going their separate ways, ending the night. Rick asks Michonne if he can meet her at her place for another drink and to talk with her about something. She agrees readily, letting him know she'd see him in 20 minutes.

They are now seated in her living room area, sharing another drink. She kicks off her heels and lounges on the couch, getting comfortable.

"Thank you for coming out tonight. I thought I was going to be all depressed turning older, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be," Michonne admits.

"Well, you don't look 35 if that makes you feel any better," Rick observes.

"That makes me feel a whole lot better. What would you give me? 30?" She asks with a smile.

"How about 25?"

"Really Rick? Oh, you really are my best friend." She rests her hands on her stomach as she smiles at him. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I just wanted to give you another birthday gift." He places a long, square decorated box on the table in front of her.

She sits up. "Oh, you didn't have to do that. This birthday has been so special." She lifts the box, untying the ribbon around it and removing the top. She pushes the tissue wrap to the side to reveal a turkey baster. Her face grows extremely warm as she cautiously lifts her eyes to his.

Rick swallows visibly as he meets her gaze. "If you're still sure about having a baby, I'll be your donor….if you'll have me." This is going against everything he was raised to believe in. He always thought people should be married if they're going to have children together, but the world is changing and for some reason he really wants Michonne to be happy.

She covers her mouth and closes her eyes as she feels the sting of tears. "I….I don't know what to say. Can I ask this of you?"

"You don't have to ask. I'm offering. Happy Birthday."

For the next week, they both do research, individually and together, on the best way to handle the procedure. Michonne can't believe how helpful Rick is being and she is so thankful to have a friend like him.

Sharing this with Michonne has made Rick realize that there is not a lot he wouldn't do for her. He cares about her just that much and can't imagine not having her in his life. Becoming parents together is going to connect them in a way he never envisioned.

Over the next three months, they increasingly spend more and more time together, sometimes including Carl on their outings. They have taken several pregnancy tests all to no avail. Neither of them is sure what the problem could be as they are both doing what they are supposed to do in order for the procedure to work.

Michonne plans to take another pregnancy test tonight. She has invited Rick over for dinner in hopes they will have something to celebrate.

He arrives right before 7 o'clock, bearing wine and her favorite chocolate candy.

She accepts the gifts and gives him a light kiss on the cheek. "You are always so thoughtful. You make me feel like I'm taking advantage of you."

Rick laughs, trying to remain indifferent about the kiss. "Hey, you feed me on a regular basis so you take good care of me. If I need to talk about something, you drop whatever you're doing to hear me out. That means a lot, so these are just little thank yous."

"Well, they always make me feel special. I appreciate you thinking of me," she returns.

"So, are you nervous?" He asks.

She looks up at him. "Maybe a little. I just thought we'd be pregnant by now."

"Let's go ahead and find out," he suggests.

"Right now?"

"Right now." He smiles as she takes off for the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, he is holding her in his arms as she cries. Her disappointment is palpable as the test revealed that she is not pregnant.

They managed to get through dinner and are now sitting on the couch, sharing more wine.

"I never considered that I couldn't get pregnant. Maybe I should schedule an appointment with my gynecologist. What do you think?" She watches Rick as she awaits his answer.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt. Maybe I should see my doctor as well. I could be the one with the problem," he states.

"But you have Carl. I know you're fine," Michonne offers.

"Well, it never hurts to be sure."

She nods, taking a deep breath, relieved that he hasn't decided to give up on this endeavor.

"Are you ok?" Rick is concerned as she seemed extremely hurt about not being pregnant.

"Now that we have another game plan, I'm fine." She smiles and instinctively reaches out and gives him a hug.

He returns her hug affectionately and watches as she pulls back and looks into his eyes. They search each other's faces for just a moment before she looks away and asks if he'd like to watch a movie. He agrees and has to laugh as she chooses a horror flick.

"Horror? So you can have nightmares tonight? You know how you get," he reminds her.

"I know, but you're here so this is the only time I can watch a movie like this. I know if anything comes charging through that door, you'll shoot it dead in the head," she confirms.

All Rick can do is shake his head at her summations.

Thirty minutes into the movie, he makes a mental note to watch movies like this more often as Michonne is curled up and practically glued to his side. She buries her face against his shoulder and only peeps through her fingers at the suspenseful scenes.

Hours later, Rick is awakened by a slight movement. He lifts his head and looks around slowly, realizing that he is still on Michonne's couch. He looks down to see her head resting in his lap, her hand cradled between her cheek and his thigh. He gently takes his hand and moves her hair away from her face, admiring how she looks even younger while sleeping.

She starts to wake up, blinking slowly as she turns her head, brown eyes connecting with blue. "Hey." She smiles as she moves to sit up, wondering how she possibly fell asleep on his lap. "Did we even finish the movie?"

"I think we did." He rubs his face and tries to suppress a yawn. "It's late. I guess I should get going."

"Well, you're welcome to one of the bedrooms here. I'll even get up and fix you a huge breakfast in the morning," she offers.

"Sounds like someone is still remembering what happened in that movie." He eyes her with fake suspicion.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she says innocently.

He laughs at her expression. "Ok, I'll stay."

Her smile is wide and so genuine that Rick feels like his heart stopped for just a moment.

"Thank you. You can have any room you want."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Both of them have successful doctor's visits and are now back to square one as what they should do to get pregnant. Michonne is at work, talking to Andrea about the situation.

"I guess we could go to a fertility clinic and maybe let them handle the extractions and the inseminations," Michonne ponders.

"Yeah, but that's going to be pretty expensive. Both of you were checked by a doctor, you're both healthy so I don't understand why it hasn't happened yet." Andrea's puzzled look mirrors her friend's.

"Me either. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be," Michonne adds. "I really hate that because I was looking forward to having a baby and now I don't want just anyone to be the father."

"Aww….is Rick growing on you?" Andrea teases.

"He's been really great, Andrea. I should thank you and Shane for making the suggestion even if it was a joke."

Andrea smiles. She knows Michonne wasn't quite as happy as she should've been months ago and the look on her face is telling a very different tale right now. She wonders if Rick has anything to do with that. "Well, there is the good old fashioned method."

"Old fashioned? What method is that?" Michonne is curious.

Andrea gives her friend a pointed look. "Do I really need to spell it out for you?"

Michonne gasps and bites down on her lower lip. "I….that wasn't part of the deal. He probably wouldn't be open to that."

"But you are? Oh my goodness, Michonne! Are you falling for Rick?" Andrea exclaims.

"Of course not. I was just making an observation."

"Well, I think you should discuss it with him. You never know. He just might be open to the idea." Andrea takes a deep breath, wondering if Michonne realizes that she just might be falling for Rick.

The next morning, she meets Rick for coffee to discuss Andrea's idea with him. A part of her can't believe she is going through with this conversation, but the other part is desperate to be pregnant and wins out.

They greet each other as usual and place their orders.

"So, what's your new idea?" Rick asks with anticipation.

Michonne swallows nervously. "Well, it was actually Andrea's idea and it's something we haven't tried and this method has worked for others before, so…." She trails off, losing her courage as she stares into Rick's deep blue eyes.

"Well, spit it out. What is it?"

"It's the old fashioned method." She clearly chickens out by using Andrea's description.

"Old fashioned? What does that entail?"

_He's going to make me say it. Damn._ "It entails…..you….me…..and a bed." She cringes as she watches his facial expressions morph from confusion to contemplation to full understanding.

He nods slowly. "Oh…..oh…..well, um…..I can see how that might work."

"I'm sorry. I know it's a lot to ask and you really don't have to do this if you don't want to. I just…."

"It's fine, Michonne. We can try….the old fashioned method," Rick agrees.

"Really?" She pauses as the waitress arrives with their order. "You're ok with it?"

"As long as you're ok with it." His slight nervousness drives him to sip his coffee too fast and he burns his tongue. He replaces the cup on its saucer and gives her a slight smile.

"Are you sure, Rick? I don't want you to feel obligated in any way," Michonne offers.

"I'm sure, Michonne, but I do have a question," he tells her.

"Ok."

"If I said no, would you recruit some other guy?" He asks.

Michonne finds it odd that he would ask her that, but she brushes it off. "No, of course I wouldn't." She looks at him shyly. "I….I want you to be the father."

Rick smiles as he nods. "So, is tomorrow night good for you?"

**A/N: This was supposed to be a one-shot but that's not going to work. I'll be working on Part II tonight. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.**


	29. Out of Order Part II Chapter 29

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Out of Order Part II (Chapter 29)

**A/N: As always, thanks to all the awesome supportive readers. I appreciate each and every review, follow and fave.**

Michonne is finding it hard to concentrate on anything, knowing that she and Rick are planning to become intimate tonight. Maybe she should've put it off for a while to give them both time to consider what they are doing. It's been three months and no pregnancy so this is the logical next step. _It makes sense, right?_ She watches as Andrea walks through the office, reading some documents. She wants so badly to share the information with her friend, especially since Andrea had inquired about her talk with Rick. For some reason, she can't bring herself to admit anything to her. She just wants this evening to go smoothly and she doesn't need Andrea to reinforce her already uncertain feelings about this. She watches the clock as she plans to leave work a couple of hours early.

She smiles as her cell phone chimes, alerting her that she has received a text message. She checks the phone and just as she suspected, it's Rick. She must have conjured him up thinking about him the way she was.

_Do I need to bring anything tonight?_

Before she knows it, she has typed out _Just you_ and was about to hit the send button when she read it again and thought it over._ That sounds too suggestive or seductive even. Maybe that's the wrong response._ She deletes it quickly and just sends a simple _No._

Meanwhile, Rick is seated in his office, looking at the one word reply she sent, wondering why she was so short and terse. He hopes everything is ok and that tonight is still a go. He doesn't know what to expect from tonight or even if this is the right move for them, but if it's what Michonne wants, then he is willing to give it a try. He just hopes they are still able to remain the best of friends even after sharing everything together. The only other person he has shared this level of intimacy with is his ex-wife and that fact makes him question exactly what role Michonne should have in his life. He shakes his head, deciding that those thoughts were too heavy and too serious at the moment.

Hours later, Rick is driving to Michonne's place after having a light dinner and a shower. He pulls into the driveway, grabs his overnight bag and makes his way to the front door.

Michonne is agonizing over what to wear when the doorbell chimes. She thought about a nice lacy teddy or just plain pajamas, but she can't make up her mind. She is now in sweatpants and a t-shirt and surmises that this is not an outfit for seduction. _Wait a minute. Is this a seduction? I should want to arouse him, right?_ She wipes her sweaty palms on her pants and walks down the stairs to invite him in.

He is dressed as he normally does outside of his uniform in jeans and a t-shirt. Her eyes zero in on his overnight bag and her heart slams even harder against her chest. She can't help the excitement she feels anticipating sleeping in her bed with him all night. Sure, he has stayed over before, but never in the same bed as her. She wonders if she's reading too much into the overnight bag. Maybe he'll opt for one of her guest bedrooms.

"Hi," he greets softly.

She returns the greeting just as softly and asks if he has had dinner.

"Yeah, I ate something before coming over. You?"

She nods. "I had a salad not too long ago." For some reason, she was hoping he would say no and she would have to prepare something for him and prolong the inevitable. She shouldn't be nervous, but she is.

She offers him some wine as a means of relaxation but he opts to forego the libation. He doesn't want anything to cloud his judgment or hinder this experience in any way. Michonne opts not to drink as well.

Minutes later, they are in her bedroom. She has placed his bag on the dresser and the two of them are seated at the foot of her bed. They look at each other tentatively, both giving hesitant smiles.

"Would it be ok if I just hold you for a minute?" Rick asks with a little uncertainty.

Michonne is surprised by the request as in her experience, most guys would just want to dive in. She nods slowly and sighs as he pulls her into his arms. She rests her head against his shoulder, her face turned outward.

They hold each other like that for several minutes, getting used to the feel of the other. She turns her head to face inward and can't help taking in his scent. She can detect sandalwood and something else that's a bit like pine trees. She shudders as he caresses her arms lightly before placing a soft, tentative kiss to her shoulder.

Rick can't believe how incredibly soft and smooth her skin is. He can smell lavender and coconuts. He's not sure if it's her skin or her hair, but it is intoxicating and drawing him in with every whiff. He wants to taste each and every inch of her and he wants to take his time and savor every moment. He's not sure if this will be a one-time experience, but just in case it is, he wants it to be memorable. He places another kiss to her shoulder, then moves to her neck, to her cheek and finally her mouth.

They both lean back slightly, searching each other's faces before locking in on the other's mouth. Michonne leans in and kisses Rick softly. He returns the kiss, opening his mouth against hers, inviting her to do the same.

She's not sure what she expected. She was afraid kissing him would feel like kissing her brother if she had one, but Rick is definitely not her brother. She welcomes the taste of him, pulling his tongue into her mouth then returns the favor by allowing him to pull on hers.

He drops a hand to her hip and gives her a squeeze, pulling her closer. Kissing her feels so right and it's making Rick wonder why they have never done this before. He wants so badly to take it slow, but he really needs to be closer to her right now. He moves his hand lower to the back of her thigh and lifts a leg to his waist as he moves their bodies backward, lying her on the bed as he rests between her thighs.

They continue to make out like two horny teenagers, kissing and caressing each other feverishly. She moves her hands underneath his shirt, reveling in the feel of his smooth, broad back. He reaches a hand back over his shoulder and fists his shirt, pulling it off.

Michonne allows her eyes to travel along his shirtless upper body, appreciating the wide shoulders, the defined pecs, the flat stomach. She lifts her upper body and removes her t-shirt. She hesitates for only a moment before reaching behind her to unhook her bra.

Rick's sharp intake of breath was all the encouragement she needed to pull him to her and finally feel his skin against hers.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

The next morning, Michonne slowly opens her eyes and wonders what time it is. She blinks several times, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She moves from her side to her back and wonders at the slight discomfort in her body. She looks over to her left and notices a sleeping Rick. Her eyes pop as everything they shared the night before comes flooding back to memory. She rolls her eyes up to the ceiling with a sigh, remembering how their bodies connected, remembering how consumed she felt, and remembering how explosive the sex was.

She can't recall ever feeling so overwhelmed and so connected with a person. She has had some good sex in her day, but this was incredible. She steals a glance over at Rick again and surmises that the sex had to be a fluke. They were just really lucky to be so in tune with each other. Besides, she hasn't had intercourse in a long time, so of course getting some after so long would blow her mind.

_Was it really a fluke though? What if we are just that good together?_ Curiosity gets the best of her as well as an overwhelming need to feel close to him again. She turns onto her side to face him and reaches a hand over to gently caress his curling hair. She waits patiently for him to wake up and smiles when her brown eyes connect with his blue ones.

He returns her smile. "Morning." _Well, she's smiling and still looking me in the eye, so I guess we did something good last night._ He shakes his head as the memory of last night causes a slight tremor to course through his body. _Damn._

He searches her face just to gauge her mood as she has yet to say anything. He recognizes the look and doesn't think twice as he feels his body awakening in more ways than one.

Michonne takes his hand and starts to place tiny kisses on each of his fingers before kissing him fully on the palm. She then brings his hand to one of her breasts and squeezes her hand over his. She smiles even wider as Rick wraps his other arm around her waist and pulls her to him.

They are body to body and she is feeling the same quivering sensation course through her as before, her body basically anticipating what it knows is coming. She wraps her legs around Rick's waist as he rolls over on top of her and enters her slowly.

The contentment she feels at their connection is indescribable. At the same time, Rick can't believe how good she feels. It makes him wonder how he will ever walk away, knowing what he knows. Those thoughts are soon forgotten as he feels her clench around him and latch on to his neck, suckling him softly.

They work together in perfect unison, striving for the ultimate release. Michonne pulls back to stare up at him, amazed that he feels just as good, if not better, as he felt the time before. Her last thought as he sends her over the edge is…._Oh shit! It's not a fluke._

For the next week, they go to work and immediately afterwards, meet at her place or his for more mind blowing sex. The desire to become pregnant the only excuse they need as they are both in denial that it could be something else.

A break is forced upon them as this weekend is Rick's weekend with Carl. The three of them take in dinner and a movie on Friday night and although Michonne is tempted to return to Rick's place and wait until Carl is conveniently asleep, she opts to go home and allow him some quality time with his son.

The next day, she spends a lazy Saturday at home, getting caught up on some things that she placed in a "to do later" file. Her concentration is continually broken as she can't seem to get Rick off her mind. She wonders what could possibly be wrong with her. She laughs as she knows exactly what's wrong with her. A taste of something exceptionally good has her wanting more and more.

She slams the file on the table and decides to distract herself with an exhaustive swim.

Meanwhile, Carl is losing his patience with his Dad. They are at a local sports shop, trying to decide on some new gear for Carl's upcoming baseball season.

"Dad, you're not paying attention. The sales guy keeps asking you the same questions over and over again. Should we just do this another day? What gives?" Carl demands.

Rick shakes his head, trying to drudge up some concentration as he can't very well tell his son that Michonne is flitting through his mind constantly. He wonders what she's doing right now, if she may be thinking of him. He's not sure if he can go an entire two days without seeing her. _What is wrong with me?_

"I'm fine, son. Just got a lot on my mind. Work stuff. Come on, let's see what we can find," Rick grabs Carl by the shoulders as they engage the sales person with full attention this time.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

At least six weeks have passed and Michonne can't contain her excitement as her cycle has not made an appearance. Rick is coming over tonight, so she'll wait until they're together before utilizing one of the dozen or so home pregnancy tests she has in supply.

He is already there, waiting for her, having started dinner. She absentmindedly gives him a quick kiss on the cheek and tells him what she suspects.

Rick wonders if she is even aware of some of the things she does. Her quick kisses always affect him somehow and she moves right along like it's nothing. He follows her upstairs to her bedroom and waits patiently outside the bathroom door. Moments later, she allows him in as they wait for the test results.

Five minutes later, the test reveals a blaring pink plus sign which indicates a pregnancy. Rick laughs as Michonne lets out the loudest whoop he has ever heard. She practically jumps into his arms and starts placing sound kisses all over his face. She finally plants her lips on his and before they know it, they are in her bed, celebrating in the most intimate way. It doesn't dawn on either of them that the sex has already accomplished their goal and is no longer needed.

Two days later, they visit Michonne's gynecologist and he confirms her pregnancy, giving her a gestation period of approximately 6 weeks. Michonne looks over at Rick, realizing that he impregnated her their first time together. He smiles back, realizing the exact same thing.

They leave the doctor's office and drive to the local park where they purchase ice cream cones and take a walk together.

"I don't know if I've said it before or not, but….thank you. I can't tell you how happy I am right now." Michonne smiles widely as tears start to form. She places a hand over her mouth and stops walking for just a moment.

Rick pulls her into his arms, both holding their cones at an angle away from each other. "It's fine. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you so happy."

She looks up at him. "What did I ever do to deserve a guy like you?" She steps back and they continue their walk. "So, what should our next step be?" She laughs as she realizes she didn't consider anything past getting pregnant.

"Why don't we just sit tight for now? We don't have to make any decisions right this minute." Rick reminds her.

"You're right. Let's just bask in the good news. Are you coming over tonight?" Michonne is basically asking out of habit. She's not realizing that things can sort of go back to normal now that she and Rick have accomplished her coveted dream.

"Sure. The usual time?" He asks.

"Yes and I'm preparing the juiciest steak you've ever had," she tells him.

Rick smiles despite the inner turmoil he is feeling. Now that Michonne is pregnant, he can't help but wonder what it will mean for what has developed between them for the last few weeks. He doesn't want to imagine going back to being best friends, not being able to love her, caress her, and kiss her. Now that he has had a taste of what they could have together as a couple in love, his heart is telling him that's exactly what he wants.

They part ways soon after, Michonne telling him she is looking forward to tonight.

Moments later, Michonne feels as if cold water has been splashed in her face. She informed Andrea of her good news, swearing her to secrecy until she is ready to share the news with others.

"Gosh, what are you and Rick gonna do now that you can't fool around?" Andrea asks.

Michonne falters slightly as Andrea's words sink in. There really is no reason for her and Rick to have sex again. She cannot hide her disappointment as that is exactly one of the things she was looking forward to tonight. She groans as she crosses her arms over her chest and wonders how she missed that little detail. She certainly can't jump his bones now. _Damn. _ She swallows visibly, wondering if she should cancel their dinner tonight._ Of course not. This is Rick. It'll be ok._

Hours later as Rick is slamming into her over and over again, Michonne can't fathom how she is ever going to give him up. Rick is taking this coupling in a totally different context. He thinks this means that their relationship is only moving forward as in them being together.

The following week, they are at the doctor's office again for their first ultrasound. Michonne has chosen to put aside the talk she and Rick need to have and Rick surmises that they don't need to talk because they obviously feel the same way.

The technician administers the ultrasound and the room is filled with the sound of a rapid thumping. "That's your baby's heartbeat." She politely points out the small embryo and notates that the baby is developing as he or she should.

Michonne smiles widely as she looks over at Rick with amazement in her eyes. She gasps and immediately tears up when she sees the tears in his eyes. "Rick, it's ok. The baby's ok."

He nods slowly. "I…..I just never realized I could be this happy." He sighs deeply as he takes her hand closest to him, wrapping both his hands around it. "I need to tell you something and I need to say it right now."

Michonne gives him her full attention. "Ok."

"I….I love you." He hesitates, allowing his words to sink in. "Michonne, I'm in love with you."

Michonne is clearly taken aback as that is not what she expected to hear from him. She looks from him to the technician to the tiny life on the ultrasound screen and back to Rick. "You….you're just really emotional right now. We'll talk about this later."

Rick frowns as does the technician. "Are you trying to tell me how I feel?"

"No….no, of course not. I just…..what are you doing?" Michonne is so confused in that moment. She wants so badly to tell Rick the exact same thing, but realizes this would be a huge step for them, one she is not sure she is ready for.

"What am I doing? What are you doing? What have we been doing for the last 4 or 5 months namely the last two?" Rick demands.

The technician attempts to excuse herself, but Michonne stops her.

"No, it's fine. We should see the doctor now, right?"

The technician nods and finishes up the procedure before informing them they are free to leave. The remainder of the visit goes smoothly, but Michonne can tell Rick is very upset.

They make it back to her house and she immediately goes into Suzy homemaker mode, moving around in the kitchen, telling him she is about to start dinner.

Rick walks into the kitchen and takes the pan out of her hand, placing it on the stovetop. "Are you going to pretend that I didn't just hand you my heart on a silver platter and you stomped on it?"

"Don't be dramatic. That's not what happened," Michonne returns.

"Then tell me what happened?"

"Rick….please don't ruin this. Everything's been going so….."

"Being in love with you is ruining this…..ruining us?" Rick stares at her in disbelief.

"You're not in love with me. It's just the sex," Michonne determines.

Rick rears back as if she slapped him. He scoffs. "I can't believe you just said that."

The silence grows between them until Rick finally says, "I think I should leave."

"I'm….sorry. I just….this wasn't part of the plan…." She trails off as Rick gives her harsh look.

"Good night." He walks away before he allows Michonne to tear into his heart any more than she already has.

She attempts to call Rick for the remainder of the night, but he is obviously not accepting her calls. This continues into the next day. He won't even take her calls at work. She realizes how profoundly she must have hurt him, but if she could just talk with him, she knows they can straighten this out.

In her desperation, she decides to leave work early and go to his house. She lets herself in using the hidden key underneath the cushion of the porch swing. For the next three hours before he is scheduled to arrive home, she cleans the house and prepares dinner for him.

At exactly 6:04 pm, she can hear Rick's key in the door. She moves to stand in the living room, checking the area one last time, proud of the way she spruced the place up. She frowns as she detects his voice and another more feminine one. The door swings open and Rick allows his companion in first. She is obviously a co-worker Michonne surmises as she takes in the female's uniform. Rick's eyes pop when he sees Michonne. He steps into the house behind his companion, his eyes never leaving Michonne's.

_Well, he didn't waste any time, _Michonne thinks to herself.


	30. Out of Order Part III Chapter 30

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Out of Order Part III (Chapter 30)

**A/N: WARNING! My fluff-o-meter is in overdrive with this update. So let's fluff away!**

"Hi. I'm Michonne. You are….?" Michonne inquires of the female deputy.

The deputy's eyes grow with recognition as she says, "Oh, I just work with Rick. We work together."

Michonne looks her up and down. "Obviously. Your name?"

"This is Sherri," Rick supplies. He looks to his co-worker. "Let me get that book for you." He moves over to one of two bookshelves and promptly removes a textbook and hands it to Sherri. "Sorry it took so long."

Michonne watches Sherri during the entire exchange and notes how her eyes follow Rick. She scoffs silently.

Sherri takes the book from Rick slowly. "No problem. Well….thanks." She lingers for a second too long.

"Don't you want to stay for dinner? I wasn't expecting company, but I'm sure I can scrounge up something for you," Michonne offers.

Rick frowns at her as he walks over to the door, opening it. "I'll see you tomorrow, deputy. Good night."

Sherri moves over to the door. "Good night." She looks to Michonne. "It was nice to meet you."

Michonne simply waves as Sherri nods and exits the house.

Rick is almost afraid to close the door. He's not sure what to expect from Michonne. "That was rude."

"Inviting your co-worker to stay for dinner was rude?" She rolls her eyes, feeling her anger rise. She's not even sure what she's angry about. "Looks like I interrupted something anyway, so I guess I should leave." She moves into the kitchen and grabs her purse.

Rick stays planted by the door as he is not going to allow her to walk out. "You wanna tell me why you're here?"

"As a matter of fact, I don't. Not now, anyway." She sighs as she notices Rick standing in front of the door with his arms folded across his chest. "Would you move please?"

He simply shakes his head no.

"Ok, you really want to do this? Fine. How long have you been seeing her?"

"I'm not."

"Then why was she here at your house after work? Did you have plans with her?"

"No. She is actually considering the exam for a position with the FBI. I took the exam a couple of months ago, but never followed through."

Michonne laughs with disbelief. "So Rick Grimes is the only person in all of King's County who has a study guide for the FBI exam? Try again."

"What has gotten into you? Why are you acting like this?"

"Are you smiling? You think this is funny?" She marches for the door and grabs the handle, brushing against his rear in the process.

Rick uses his hip to nudge her hand away from the knob while he gently grasps her upper arms and moves her back a step or two. "Michonne, you're being ridiculous. I have nothing going on with my co-worker."

"Well, she wishes something was going on. I saw how she looked at you," Michonne returns.

"And why do you care?"

That question causes Michonne to flinch as she deflates quickly, realizing she is acting like a jealous girlfriend and really doesn't have that privilege. She turns her back on him as the tears start to form. The confusion sets in and she wonders about her reaction to seeing him with someone else. Suddenly, it dawns on her. The pregnancy and her hormones must be affecting her behavior. "I…I'm sorry. I came here to talk. To try and make things right again. I wanted to do something nice for you to show you that I never meant to hurt you. I made dinner, so….I'm just going to go now."

"What about our talk?" Rick asks.

"I just want you to forgive me," Michonne answers.

"That's it. Just forgive you, so we can go back to being best friends? Am I supposed to forget the fact that I'm in love with you and that you're in love with me?"

Michonne gasps as she turns around to face him. Locking eyes with him was a huge mistake as she searches his face and realizes she does love him. She may even be _in_ love with him, but she can't give in to it. She shakes her head. "That is not what's going on here."

"Then why are you here, Michonne? Why is it so important that I forgive you? Why did it upset you that another female walked through that door?" He steps closer to her. "If I'm just your best friend, if you're not in love with me, then none of that should matter to you. You came here, you cleaned my house, you made dinner for me….I think that says you care an awful lot."

"That's what best friends do for each other," Michonne states.

"Really? Shane has never come over and cleaned my house and made dinner for me. When's the last time Andrea cooked and cleaned for you?"

Her heart rate continues to increase with each minute. All of Rick's words are sinking in little by little, making her truly examine her feelings. She opens her mouth several times to say something, but can't get the words out.

"What was that? I didn't hear you."

She drops her eyes to her peep toe pumps, admiring the new polish she tried at the salon last week. "I…my mind is made up. I've accepted the fact that I won't find love again or get married again. It's just not meant for me. I'm going to have our baby and be content."

"What are you so afraid of?"

She looks up at him, allowing the tears to fall down her cheeks. "You….mean…everything to me. If we tried this and it didn't work out, I'd be…..devastated. I don't want to have to face anything like that, so it just works better the way things are."

"I'm not happy with the way things are….not completely." He drops down slightly, looking directly into her eyes. "I would never hurt you. I love you too much. We can make this work. I know we can."

Michonne wants to believe him. Rick has never let her down, he is always there for her no matter what, she loves Carl, Carl loves her, she gets along with Lori, they already have a life together, they already love each other. All she has to do is let go, accept it, and allow him in. She gasps as he places a hand on her stomach.

"This is all the assurance you need. Our baby was conceived in love. I'm not going to deny it and I wish you'd stop denying it," Rick implores.

Michonne covers his hand with hers and feels her body finally relax as she allows herself to stop fighting. She takes a deep, calming breath. "I do love you." She leans in and kisses him softly, closing her eyes in contentment as Rick takes her into his arms.

"Do you forgive me?" She whispers. "I never meant to hurt you."

Rick pulls back to look at her. "I forgive you. Stop worrying about it, ok?"

She nods and glances away from him shyly. "You….you make me feel things I've never felt before and I don't know how to handle that….but when I think about a life without you, none of the fear is worth it." She brings her eyes back to his. "I can't stand not talking to you or not seeing you. I didn't want to admit it, but….I need you. I want you."

Rick sighs with relief as he thought Michonne was going to continue to fight him. He smiles as he embraces her again, realizing that everything is falling into place for them. Now, he just has to convince her to marry him.

"So, when were you planning to tell me about the FBI exam?" She inquires.

He sighs, realizing this woman doesn't miss anything.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Two months later

Michonne is a nervous wreck as Rick has invited his parents (Ms. Gladys and Arthur) and her parents (Ms. Mae and Walter) over for dinner. He thinks it's high time they knew about their relationship and the fact that they are going to be grandparents. They've all met before, but never under these circumstances and she's unsure of everyone's reactions.

She is trying her best to prepare everything, but keeps running to the downstairs bathroom, her nervousness culminating into nausea, and the nausea culminating into vomiting. She can hear Rick returning from the grocery store and quickly pushes the door closed as she doesn't want him to see her hovering over the toilet yet again.

Minutes later, she groans as he opens the door. He grows concerned and moves to her side immediately.

She can't help but smile as he is right by her side on his knees, rubbing her back in slow, comforting circles.

"You think I picked a bad time to do this?" He asks quietly.

"I'll be fine. I think it's a combination of nerves and morning sickness." She wipes her mouth with a hand towel and sits back. "I never considered my parents in any of this…let alone yours. I know how old fashioned they are and I already know they're not going to agree. I was hoping we could just show up on their doorstep with a bundle in hand already."

"Really babe? You were deliberately planning not to see our parents for 9 months? What if you ran into my mom at the grocery store or something?"

"She wouldn't have known it was yours," Michonne returns with a smile.

Rick shakes his head. "Well, your plans always leave something to be desired, so we're going to try it my way this time around."

She gasps as Rick just made a dig about her and her infamous plans. "I know one plan you didn't have a problem with."

He gives her a stern look before kissing her cheek and helping her off the bathroom floor. "Are you feeling better now?"

She nods. "I'm just afraid that cooking is going to bring the nausea back."

"How about I just grill some steaks?" He offers.

"But you know how much they all like soul food."

Rick nods. "I know, but they'll be fine." He leads her to the stairs. "I'll take care of everything. Why don't you take a nap?"

Michonne's eyes grow big with excitement at the mention of a nap. "Really?"

He nods with a smile.

"Oh, thank you so much babe. I promise I'll be right as rain in about an hour." She moves up the stairs and disappears into their bedroom as Rick goes to work in the kitchen.

Hours later, they are in the middle of dinner when Rick grabs Michonne's hand and gives her a quick squeeze, letting her know that everything is going well. She smiles at him and wonders why she was ever nervous. Both his parents and hers seem to take the news that they were together quite well. They didn't comment much about the pregnancy which was a complete surprise to Michonne. It was almost like they knew something she didn't.

Weeks ago, Rick had an initial talk with Carl and then he and Michonne talked with him together. Michonne was over the moon that he was ok with it and actually excited about being a big brother.

The sun has finally gone down and the night is much cooler so they decide to have dessert and drinks out by the pool. Ms. Gladys comments on how beautiful the lighting and decorations are for the patio and Michonne thanks her graciously.

Rick waits patiently for Michonne to excuse herself. He knows she's due for a bathroom break pretty soon. Five minutes later, she leaves the table and moves inside the house and up the stairs. He shares a look with Carl and the parents before moving off to follow her. He grabs her as soon as she exits the bathroom, giving her a sound kiss on the mouth.

She giggles with surprise. "What was that for?"

"Just because. Have I told you how much I love you today?" He asks.

"Not as much as I love you." She smiles up at him, genuinely happy. She takes his hand and prepares to leave the room.

"Hold on a minute." He wraps his arms around her. "Think we got enough time for a quick one?"

She gasps. "With our parents and Carl downstairs? Rick please."

"Well, since you're begging…." He starts guiding her to the bed.

Michonne bursts into laughter. "Stop it. You can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am." He says as he leans down to kiss her neck.

"You're just going to have to wait until later tonight after Carl falls asleep." Michonne dodges his next kiss and moves to the door.

Rick beats her there and stands with his back against the door. "Just one kiss then?"

"What has gotten into you tonight?" Michonne smiles, almost blushing as he stares longingly at her lips. "Ok, fine. Just one kiss."

Rick's eyes seem to glaze over as he peels himself from the door and approaches her. He leans down, tilting his head and places his lips softly against hers.

Just as Michonne is about to break away, he grabs her ass and pulls her to him, deepening the kiss and stroking her tongue with his. He is satisfied with her groan as she throws her arms around his neck.

Moments later, he allows her to come up for air.

She shakes her head, blinking rapidly. "Ok. Ok. Downstairs. We have to go downstairs."

He smiles, loving the affect he has on her then turns and opens the door. "Downstairs it is." He follows her out quietly.

Almost down to the last step, she frowns as she hears soft instrumental music drifting in from the patio. "What are they doing?"

He steps in front of her, grasping her hands in his as he walks backward onto the patio, pulling her with him.

Michonne's eyes pop as she takes in all the streamers, balloons, and hanging lantern lights….all white. She looks around to see Andrea, Shane, Tyreese, Karen, Sasha, Daryl, Glenn, and Maggie have joined their parents and Carl. She greets her friends before turning her questioning eyes back to Rick.

He leans in and kisses her on the cheek before dropping down to one knee.

Michonne gasps and immediately becomes emotional as she realizes what this is all about. She clutches at her chest, feeling her heart swell as the tears come and won't stop.

"Michonne, I love you and nothing in this world would please me more than you agreeing to become my wife." His blue eyes never leave hers as he asks, "Will you marry me?"

She can hear her friends sniffling right along with her as she slowly drops to her knees in front of Rick. She smiles through her tears. "Yes, I will marry you." She throws her arms around his neck and hugs him tightly.

Everyone applauds as Carl steps up and hands his Dad a black velvet box from which Rick retrieves a diamond solitaire and slips it onto Michonne's finger.

Laughter and shouts ring out all around as everyone celebrates the newly engaged couple.

"I got you good, didn't I?" Rick whispers in her ear.

In between her sniffles, Michonne whispers back, "You got me good."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Rick fists the sheets tightly as he tries his best not to yell out. His fiancée has her lips wrapped around his manhood, her tongue gliding up and down his shaft as she sucks him off like their very lives depend on it. He breathes in deeply, exhaling slowly as he tries to control his reaction. He can feel her smile around him as she knows she has him exactly where she wants him.

He can't even form coherent words as her hold is tight and her mouth is warm and unrelenting. He groans as she slows down to a gentle pull, circling her tongue around his tip over and over again. He's not sure which is the most intense, the hard and fast pull or the soft and gentle swirling.

He rocks his hips, pushing into her mouth, matching her rhythm. He lifts his head cautiously, always fascinated to watch her pleasuring him. He should've known she meant business tonight when she swept her hair up into a ponytail to ensure it would not be a hindrance.

The change in pace brings him back to matters at hand and he shudders as she tightens her mouth around him. He continues to watch her until he can't take anymore. He drops back to the pillow, closing his eyes. He fantasizes about giving her the same treatment he is getting, an act he is assured to make a certainty very soon. The combination of her gyrating against his mouth in his head and the reality of her mouth on him, sucking and pulling sends him straight into an orgasm.

She allows him to ride out his release completely before removing him from her mouth. She continues to hold him, moving her hand up and down, enjoying how his body jerks with her movements.

"Please….stop," he manages shakily.

"Are you sure?" She asks with a smile.

He delivers a sound yes and sighs with relief when she relinquishes her hold. He gasps as she starts to kiss her way up his body, finally arriving at his lips. His breathing is still ragged, but he returns her kiss, wrapping his arms around her.

"I love you so much," she tells him once they pull apart.

"I love you, too," he returns as he moves down to her neck, pulling her skin into his mouth. He works his way to her breasts, handling them delicately as they have grown extremely sensitive with her pregnancy. He cups one full, perky breast as he circles her areola with the tip of his tongue. He gives both breasts equal time, reveling in her soft mewls of pleasure.

Michonne never thought she could be so happy, so content. She won't ever be able to thank her friend enough for seeing what she refused to see at first. She has gone from believing she was destined to be alone for the remainder of her life to having a fiancé and becoming a first time parent to Carl and his future little brother or sister. She can feel the tears sting her eyes as her emotions threaten to overtake her.

Rick's hands and tongue bring her out of her reflections as he places soft, wet kisses on her still flat tummy, moving his way further down. She brings her knees up, spreading her legs wide, welcoming him as he starts to kiss her intimately.

She shudders as he laves her over and over again, his tongue stroking her with purpose. She lifts her hips, rocking against his mouth, the overwhelming sensation growing in tempo with each stroke. She gasps loudly as he suckles her gently, then continuously flicks his tongue against her sweet spot.

"Oh, yes…..yes….there…right there, Rick." She closes her eyes and grabs his hands as her body starts to shake, her orgasm vibrating and pulsating at her core. She continues to rock against him, riding out her release, her mouth agape, her breaths pumping out soundly.

He lifts a leg over his shoulder as he starts to kiss her inner thigh, never tiring of the taste and texture of her skin. She is firm and soft and smooth all at the same time and he can't help the overwhelming sensation to take a bite. He nibbles gently and moves to the opposite thigh to repeat the process.

She looks down at him, having regained some of her composure. "Are you gonna stay down there all night?"

He continues to kiss her thigh. "I will if you want me to."

"You know what I want," she smiles as she bites her bottom lip, watching as he lifts up to his knees.

He grasps his manhood, stroking himself lightly, his eyes connecting with hers. "Is this what you want?"

Her eyes zero in on his hand, moving up and down slowly. She moves her hands to her breasts and squeezes them softly. "Yes, that's exactly what I want."

"Then come and get it," he challenges.

Michonne smiles as she moves up on her knees to face him. She reaches out to place a hand at the nape of his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. Her other hand travels down to the back of a thigh, tugging at him gently.

Rick reads her signs well as he positions himself on his back, an arm around her waist, pulling her with him. They continue to kiss each other hungrily as she straddles him, rubbing her sex against his. The anticipation grows to a fever pitch neither of them can deny.

She breaks their kiss as she lifts her chest, aligning their bodies perfectly. Brown eyes lock with blue as she sits down slowly, eliciting erotic groans from both of them. She jumps as he slams his hands against her ass soundly, grabbing on as he grinds upward, seeking coveted treasure. _Damn. This is going to be a long night._

**A/N: I've decided we need a Part IV. What do y'all think?**


	31. Out of Order Part IV Chapter 31

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Out of Order Part IV (Chapter 31)

**A/N: So very fluffy and I loved writing every bit of it. Enjoy!**

"Yes, purple and blue, Andrea. Those are the colors I want and you're not changing my mind," Michonne is adamant as Andrea slowly returns the swath of yellow material to the booklet.

"I guess they won't look bad together, but why purple and blue? Purple I know is your favorite color, but where does blue fit into all of this?"

Michonne sits quietly as she wonders if she should tell her best friend her reasoning behind her choice of wedding colors. "Ok. I chose purple because it's my favorite and I chose blue because of Rick's eyes."

Andrea's mouth drops open as she looks at her friend in disbelief. "Oh wow! You are so sprung."

"I know right?" Michonne laughs.

"Now, the colors are out of the way. Please tell me you're adding some cream or something in there to kind of offset the others."

"That's fine, Andrea. Now, I've already chosen a dress. We'll go to the bridal shop later. Ms. Gladys and my mom are handling the caterers, Maggie is taking care of the flowers and decorations, Sasha has a photographer and videographer lined up, the guys are doing whatever they're supposed to do with the tuxedos and Rick's bachelor party, Karen has us scheduled for hair and makeup, she has a stylist that will come to us….now, the venue? Ms. Gladys wants it at her church, but I really wanted an outdoors wedding. I just wish it wasn't so hot right now."

"Well, your husband to be is the one rushing everybody. I told him we needed more time, but no he wants to get married right away," Andrea states.

Michonne puts a hand to her stomach. "He's just trying to do the right thing, Andrea."

"Yes, well you two certainly were out of order on this one, but….it's the end result that matters."

Just then, Mr. Dale walks into their office. Michonne and Andrea look up in surprise as he isn't expected for another 2 days.

Michonne quickly offers him a smile. "Hey there Mr. Dale. How can we help you today?"

"Well, I think it's going to be the other way around. I want to help you," he returns.

"I'm sorry? Help me?" Michonne asks.

"Yeah. You see, I heard all about your upcoming nuptials to the Grimes fella….and well, I think he's a pretty good guy. Anyway, people around this town have been hankering after me to use my property for weddings and parties and such but I was never into that stuff. I thought maybe you might want to have your wedding there. That's if you don't already have a place in mind," Dale tells her.

Andrea smiles as she has heard wonderful things about Dale's property.

"That's really nice of you Mr. Dale, but I'd have to see the place and…" Michonne trails off as Dale holds his hand up.

"Say no more. Why don't you and your young man come by this evening and take a look? How does 6 sound? It won't be as warm by that time and you can see the gardens."

"Can I come too Mr. Dale? I'm part of the wedding party," Andrea offers. "Plus, I'm getting married at the beginning of the New Year."

Dale looks her up and down. "Shane Walsh is your fella, huh?"

Andrea nods with a hopeful look.

"Well, alright. I'll have some dinner for you, too so don't go trying to eat before you come over," Dale advises. "See y'all tonight."

He leaves just as suddenly as he arrived.

Andrea lets out a squeal. "I think Mr. Dale really likes you and I've heard his place is awesome! I've gotta call Shane right now." She grabs her cell phone.

"Tell him to let Rick know," Michonne relays as she goes back to her wedding to do list.

Minutes later, Michonne isn't surprised when her cell phone starts vibrating. She knows it's Rick, wondering what's going on with Dale.

Later that evening, they enjoy a nice dinner with Dale, pleasantly surprised at his hospitality and joviality. He gives them a tour of his gardens as well as the inside of his home and tells both couples they are welcome to host their weddings there.

Michonne is beyond excited and Rick can see it all in her eyes and her body language. He shakes his head and thanks Mr. Dale for the offer.

"We'd be more than thrilled to have our wedding here," he relays.

"Great. We can work out all the particulars over dinner next week," Dale suggests.

Rick is not sure what Michonne has done to impress Dale, but he realizes the older man wants to reconnect with people again and surmises that he wants to start with his fiancée.

Michonne nods. "Ok, I'll call you and set up a day and time. Thank you so much."

The four of them are in Andrea's sedan, traveling back to the law office.

"So what the hell was all of that about? Dale hasn't wanted to deal with anybody for over a year now and all of a sudden he's offering his place for your wedding? You stepping out on Rick with the old guy, Michonne?" Shane laughs at his own joke before the others join in.

"I think he is sweet on her or something," Rick adds.

"Would you two stop? I'm just as surprised as anybody else. I thought he hated all of us," Michonne states.

"Dale is lonely, so you guys just let up off of him. Think about it. He lost his wife of over 30 years. They were probably everything to each other, so yeah I think I'd be a little angry too if the love of my life was snatched away like that," Andrea details.

"Listen to my baby being all sentimental and shit," Shane teases.

"Are you saying you wouldn't be hurt if I suddenly died tomorrow?" She asks Shane.

"Of course I would. I don't want to think about you dying or…." Shane trails off as Michonne interrupts them.

"Stop it with the death talk already. This lady is carrying life, so let's talk about that miracle instead of the alternative," Michonne suggests. She smiles as Rick grabs her hand and kisses it.

The next two weeks seem to fly by as Rick and Michonne, along with Carl, their parents, and friends continue to plan the wedding.

It's a quiet Friday night and Michonne is thumbing through another pregnancy book when Rick appears in the doorway of their bedroom with remnants of chocolate smeared over his mouth.

"Babe, we're all out of those chocolate squares with the caramel center," he relays worriedly.

"Ummm…ok, I'll get more for you," she returns, trying her best not to laugh.

"I thought we had more of those gourmet cookies you like, too, but we seem to be out of those as well."

"I just bought them last week. You better slow your roll or you're gonna get as big as I'm gonna get," she tells him.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Rick frowns at her.

"You've been eating a lot of sweets lately, babe. I'm starting to think you're the pregnant one."

"Oh, now you've got jokes? I haven't been eating that much….have I?" He trails off cautiously as he recalls how his sweet tooth has been pretty active the last few weeks.

Michonne laughs at his contemplative expression. "I read in one of my books that expectant fathers can have symptoms just like expectant mothers. Maybe you're getting my supposed cravings for sweets."

"You're kidding with me, right?"

She shakes her head. "Your appetite has increased, so it's probably because of the pregnancy. We can even ask the doctor about it if you want."

"Dang. I didn't even realize something like that could happen," Rick states.

"Just be glad you didn't get the morning sickness." She smiles as she sets her book aside. "Come here."

He moves into the room to her bedside and leans over as she reaches up for him. He smiles as she proceeds to kiss and lick the chocolate from his mouth.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Rick and Michonne's wedding day has arrived and Dale's home and property are buzzing with activity. Tents have been set up in the garden area to accommodate the guests and a gazebo like structure will serve as cover for the bride and groom. Dale had portable air conditioning units placed strategically within the tents and the gazebo to ensure everyone's comfort.

The women are on one side of the house getting ready while another section of the house was set up for the men. Michonne is seated at a vanity, trying to be perfectly still while her hair and make-up are being arranged and applied. She can't help thinking of the night before when Andrea, Maggie, Sasha, Karen, and others took her to a club for her so called bachelorette party. She was made to sit in a high back chair in the middle of the dance floor with a blindfold on. She was so nervous and apprehensive about what they had in mind that she could hardly enjoy herself.

The music was thumping so loudly she could feel it vibrate through her body. _Please don't let them have a male stripper_ she thinks to herself as she felt something or someone brush past her. She can hear her friends and others scream and start to whistle and cat call as someone grabs her hands and places them on his hips. She tries to jerk away but he holds fast, moving her hands up and then down his pant covered legs. She encounters something that feels like a gun and surmises that he must be dressed up like a cop or something.

_Oh goodness, it's a stripper_. She sighs as she decides to go with the flow, praying this doesn't last very long and he's not the type to pump his crotch in her face. She continues to remain still as she allows him to guide her hands up to his stomach. Everyone is clapping in time to the music as Michonne is trying to control her body temperature. She hates to admit it but this stripper is starting to turn her on. She rears back just a bit as she feels him move his hands to her hips.

He pulls her toward him and she figures he must be on his knees as her chest collides with his. He leans toward her brushing her lips lightly before dropping down to gently to nuzzle her neck.

_He is a bold one_ she thinks to herself right before she gets a whiff of sandalwood….._and is that_….She jerks her blindfold off and nearly screams as she stares into the bright, blue eyes of her fiancé. All she can manage to do is laugh as Rick pulls her into his arms, the screams and laughter of the crowd loud and boisterous.

"I demanded to be the only male stripper here tonight," he whispers in her ear.

"Oh my goodness, I can't believe you did this." Michonne can't remember blushing this much about anything in her life. Her body temperature is at an all-time high now that she realizes it was Rick giving her a so called lap dance the entire time. "You are not taking off one article of clothing. Not here anyway. I'll deal with you later."

"I love it when you talk dirty," Rick tells her.

She's not sure what he and Shane and the others got into once they left to handle his bachelor party. She didn't see him again for the remainder of the night which she knows is tradition but she couldn't help missing him.

Now it will only be a matter of time before she meets him at the altar and becomes Mrs. Rick Grimes.

Meanwhile, her future husband to be is nursing a slight headache as he really had too much to drink the night before thanks to his buddies. He tried his best to get home to his fiancée but Shane was having none of it. He was holding fast to the tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other before the ceremony.

He smiles to himself as he remembers how surprised she was to see him at her bachelorette party. He's hoping he can continue that lap dance on their honeymoon. He's even happier that his friends respected his wishes and the only females they laid eyes on were via porn flicks. They spent the night at Shane's place, drinking and playing cards.

Glenn and Tyreese pull him away from his thoughts as they remind him that he only has 15 minutes before the ceremony begins.

Twenty minutes later, instrumental music is being played by a live band as he is walking to the altar with Carl and Shane as his best men and Daryl, Tyreese, and Glenn as his groomsmen. He is dressed in a navy blue suit with purple accessories while the others are in navy blue suits and matching navy accessories.

They watch quietly as the bridesmaids walk down the aisle in purple dresses with navy sashes, their bouquets made up of purple, blue, and white flowers. Next, the mothers are escorted in, Ms. Gladys with Arthur and Ms. Mae by one of the ushers. Michonne's young cousin serves as flower girl as Rick's young cousin serves as the ring bearer.

The moment has arrived for the bride to enter and the guests stand as the prompt is sounded to begin the wedding march. Michonne steps into view with her dad and a collective gasp is heard from the guests as they take in her beauty. Her hair is swept up in a chignon with a sprig of baby's breath on one side. Her gown is cream colored and strapless with a fitted bodice as the skirt and train flare out slightly, draping down to pool at her feet. Walter is by her side, trying his best not to shed tears as he can see how happy his daughter truly is.

Michonne smiles nervously as her heart is beating erratically. She looks up toward the altar and locks eyes with Rick and that's how they remain as she makes her way to him slowly. She watches as he and her father shake hands and Walter places her hand into Rick's and moves off to be seated with his wife.

The couple smile at each other as they take their place in front of Ms. Glady's pastor, Reverend Hines.

Michonne hands her bouquet to Andrea as the latter gathers the bride's train and arranges it accordingly.

The reverend motions for the guests to be seated before he begins the ceremony. He narrates the traditional terminology before moving on and finally coming to the vows.

"Rick and Michonne would like to recite vows of their own in addition to the customary pledges." He looks to the groom. "Are you ready to begin?"

Rick nods as he takes a deep breath. He gives his bride a slight smile and looks into her eyes as he says, "Michonne, I love you more than I thought it was ever possible to love another person. You are always there for me no matter what and I can't tell you enough how much it means to me to be marrying my best friend. Just knowing that we're going to wake up to each other for the rest of our lives has me so excited. Thank you for loving me, for listening to me, for encouraging me, and for believing in me."

"Michonne?" The pastor turns to her.

"I remember when you told me that I was beautiful and big hearted and that I'd find the right person and get married again. I told you that he'd have made an appearance by now, never knowing that I was staring at him all along. Today, I'm marrying my best friend, the man who didn't give up on me even when I felt like giving up on myself. I'm marrying the man who tossed aside everything he believed in to help his friend's dreams come true and I'm marrying the man who I will love until my very last breath."

She can't help but hear Andrea's and Maggie's sniffles as she concludes her vows. She decides not to look at anyone but Rick as she is trying her best to hold her tears at bay.

They continue with the traditional vows as they exchange rings and boldly say their "I dos". Reverend Hines smiles as he gives Rick permission to salute his bride.

The couple can't help smiling at each other as Rick wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her to him. He drops his mouth to hers and kisses her softly. Michonne snakes her arms around his neck and returns the kiss with fervor.

Reverend Hines clears his throat and once the couple disconnects, he asks them to face their guests. "Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Rick Grimes."

Rick and Michonne are quickly followed by their wedding party, all of them congregating in the patio area, accepting hugs and congratulations salutations.

Dale walks up to the happy couple, quickly dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief. "Congratulations, kids. That was beautiful." He hugs them both and gives Michonne a kiss on the cheek.

After almost an hour of wedding party and family photos, they all join the guests for the reception. The couple celebrates well into the night, eventually changing clothes and bidding everyone farewell as they depart for their honeymoon, a week long Caribbean cruise.

_Four months later_

Michonne is in nesting mode as she has stayed up late for the last few nights, cleaning and dusting in preparation for her new arrival. Rick and Carl put the finishing touches on the nursery just last week and everything is in place. She checks the baby's room for the third time that night then slowly moves to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

Rick and Carl retired for the night at least two hours ago, but she still has energy and can't sleep since the baby is beyond active tonight. She sits down in the living room area and was about to turn the TV on when she felt a slight tinge in her abdomen. She takes a deep breath and waits for it to pass.

Thirty minutes later, she is in the bathroom, timing her pains and surmises that they are approximately ten minutes apart. _Wow! I think I'm in labor._ She tries not to panic as she makes her way up the stairs to Rick's bedside. She smiles down at his sleeping form, wishing she didn't have to disturb him.

Another contraction hits and she grabs Rick's shoulder and shakes him none too gently. "Babe, I need you to wake up. I think we need to go to the hospital."

Rick sits up slowly, blinking the sleep from his eyes as he reaches for a chocolate chip cookie he left on the night stand. Around a mouthful, he asks, "What did you say?"

"Rick, I think I'm in labor now, so we need to get to….." She steps back as Rick scrambles out of the bed and races to the door. He seems to remember his lack of clothing and moves over to the closet. He grabs her previously prepared overnight bag and proceeds to pull on a pair of jeans and a KCSD sweatshirt.

"Carl! I gotta get Carl!" Rick exclaims as he sits on the bed, pulling on socks and tennis shoes. He finally looks to Michonne who has made her way to the closet and is trying to get dressed but has to stop as another contraction comes.

Rick is by her side instantly. "Babe, maybe you should sit down."

"No, we have to hurry. The last two were only 5 minutes apart."

Rick tries not to panic as he helps Michonne get dressed then races downstairs to Carl's room to wake him. He shakes his son gently. "Hey. Game time."

That's all Carl needed to hear as he and his Dad came up with the code name months ago. Carl jumps up and goes straight to his closet, his game time outfit already together and waiting for him.

Minutes later, they are all in Michonne's SUV, making their way to the hospital while Rick dials up their obstetrician, letting him know their situation.

Forty-five minutes later, Rick and Michonne are recalling their Lamaze classes and techniques as they work together as a team to bring their baby into the world. He holds her hand the entire time, telling her how much he loves her.

At approximately 12:37 pm, they welcomed a baby boy. Rick moves off for only a few minutes, cutting the umbilical cord and watching anxiously as the nurses clean him up and swaddle him in blankets before placing him briefly in mom's waiting arms.

Michonne can't help the tears of wonder that stream down her face as she looks upon the little miracle that she and Rick created. She gazes up at her husband, noticing the tears in his eyes. "We have a little boy."

Rick can only manage to nod as he is too full of emotion to form a coherent sentence.

The nurse is equally overwhelmed watching the two parents and the way their eyes are shining and their faces are glowing with happiness. She pulls her cell phone from her pocket and captures the moment, knowing they'll want to document this in some way. She watches as a little boy walks in cautiously and joins them. Quickly surmising that he is part of this little family, she snaps another photo with a smile before moving off to get more instructions from the head nurse.

Michonne and Rick can't fathom being away from their baby boy for one second, but the staff needs to get him to the nursery for more tests, plus Michonne has to be cleaned up and moved to a room. Rick and Carl go with the baby while Ms. Gladys and Ms. Mae are allowed in to sit with Michonne.

Later that day, the room is filled to capacity as Rick, Michonne, and Carl are surrounded by friends and family and waiting to hear what the baby's name is.

Rick is seated on the bed by Michonne as she holds their son. "Everybody, this is Raile Carlton Grimes."


	32. Out of Order Bonus Scene Chapter 32

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Out of Order (Bonus Scene)

**A/N: This is by request for sleepywitchysamurai.**

Rick can't believe she is making him do this. He thought he would be able to do this at home and just meet her and deliver it later. During his research, he must have failed to read the part where the sperm has to enter at body temperature otherwise it is not viable. He is envisioning an Olympic relay team where he hands off the deposit and waits to see if they make it to the finish line or not.

He looks around her powder room because this cannot be described as a typical bathroom. Not with the floor to ceiling shelves, the built in vanity, the claw foot bathtub and the separate shower large enough for four or five people. He loves how she has incorporated antique and modern amenities.

He sits back on the purple chaise lounge, trying to get comfortable which is almost impossible knowing she is in the next room, waiting. He laughs as he notices the girlie magazines on the wooden stand by the lounge. _Really Michonne?_ He rolls his eyes as he places the collection cup on the stand, unscrewing the top. He sighs as he unbuttons his pants and frees himself to get the process started.

Conjuring up the latest skin flick he witnessed doesn't seem to be doing the trick. He looks to the ceiling again and closes his eyes, trying to concentrate. After a few seconds, his eyes are open again and he's wondering if he will be able to go through with it. He looks around the bathroom once more, taking in all the lotions and oils, envisioning Michonne seated at her vanity and lathering her skin after a nice long hot shower. His eyes scan over to the bathtub, an image of her neck deep in bubbles making him sigh as he lowers a hand to his lengthening and thickening member.

He wraps his hand around himself and slowly starts to work it up and down, moving his thumb in a circular motion. He looks over at the shower where he imagines Michonne standing there naked, the water running in rivulets down her body, making him lick his lips. That image stays with him as he closes his eyes and drops his head back on the lounge.

_She stands in front of the glass door where he can see her perfectly. She licks her lips as she slowly brings her hands up to her breasts, squeezing them gently before taking a nipple between two fingers and rolling them. She throws her head back as she caresses herself. Next, she eases her hand down to the barely there patch of curls between her legs. She slams one hand against the glass while the other seeks her core, spreading her legs boldly. Her eyes bore right into him as she starts to work her hand below, her lips parted._

Rick is working frantically to reach release as he keeps the image of Michonne pleasuring herself in his head. He can't believe how aroused he is, his heart racing, his breathing short and fast. He feels the orgasm start to roll through him as he continues to pump. He grabs the cup just in time and quickly makes a deposit, working himself until he gets every drop. He grabs the syringe off the heating pad and fills it, then grabs a towel to clean himself, hastily stuffing himself back into his pants before he rushes to the door, holding the syringe in his hand. He thought he would have to call out to Michonne but she was right by the door.

She races in, wearing that lovely silk purple robe and goes straight for the chaise lounge. She sits down, her head at the foot of the lounge while her feet are at the head. She lies back with her legs up, holding her robe in place.

Rick looks down at her, taking in her smooth, well defined thighs. He notices the red lacy bra she is wearing as the bodice of the robe gapes open slightly.

She snaps her fingers. "Rick. Give it to me. I have to be quick remember?"

He blinks as he walks over to her, his pants still unzipped and gaping open. He hands the syringe to her and walks backward to the door, unable to take his eyes off her thighs.

Michonne notices his open fly and tries not to stare. She shakes herself in an effort to get back to the task at hand. She sees Rick lingering by the door. "Um…I need a little privacy please."

"Oh, yeah, right….." He moves to the door awkwardly. "Sorry." He takes one last look before closing the door. He's not sure what he is supposed to do so he just waits by the door as he guessed she was doing earlier.

Five minutes later, she calls his name.

"Yeah?" He answers through the door.

"You can come in now," she announces.

He cracks the door and sees that she is still upside down on the lounge. "Why are you laying like that?" He observes that she has draped a towel over her lower half for propriety's sake he surmises.

She smiles up at him. "This is to make sure things travel the right path so to speak."

"Ok." He steps into the bathroom and leans against the counter, his arms folded across his chest.

She zeroes in on his fly again and sees that he took the time to close everything up.

"So I thought we were going to do dinner or something?" He asks.

"We are, but I have to lay here for another 20 minutes." She is so self-assured and obviously happy that Rick can't help but smile with her.

That smile falters as his focus lands on the syringe laying on the wooden stand next to her. His mind immediately conjures up exactly where that syringe has been and the temperature in the bathroom seems to have suddenly skyrocketed. He swallows nervously and wipes the sweat from his brow.

Her robe was gaping open even more and he quickly decides he may need to exit this room posthaste.

"I….um….do you need anything? Some water? I think I need some water." He walks out of the door, moving through her bedroom and takes the stairs to the kitchen. He stands inside the refrigerator as he chugs the water straight from the bottle. He steps back and closes the door, looking towards the stairs and wondering what he has gotten himself into. 


	33. In Name Only Chapter 33

Richonne (Short Love Stories) In Name Only (Chapter 33)

**A/N: So, Carolina-bleus and I were conversing one night and this idea was formed between the two of us. Hope you enjoy.**

Michonne and Rick stare at each other in disbelief. After six months of marriage, they thought they would finally reap the rewards of their union. Rick would get his inheritance and Michonne would get the money to pay off her student loans and her personal loans and put more funds into her private practice. They were in the family attorney's office under the presumption of signing paperwork to have the first installment deposited into a joint account. What the attorney just relayed to them throws everything out of sync. Not only did Rick's grandfather require him to get married, but he had to produce an heir within eighteen months of said marriage.

"You have got to be kidding me? You didn't say anything about this six months ago!" Rick exclaims.

"It's in the conditions of the inheritance and I was legally bound not to reveal this stipulation until now. You'll still get an installment, it just won't be as substantial. Without an heir, you forfeit the remainder of the inheritance," the attorney tells them. "You signed in agreement."

Rick jumps up out of his chair and snatches the paperwork out of the attorney's hands. "Let me see this."

Michonne looks on silently, still not able to comprehend what she just heard. Any other time, she'd be by Rick's side reading the documents with him as they are both licensed attorneys but she can't seem to focus at the moment. She watches as he plops back down in his chair, clearly deflated.

"Shit," he responds as his eyes continue to scan the documents. He has been freaking bamboozled by his own family.

Michonne looks over to him, inaudibly seeking his attention. When he turns to face her, what she sees in his eyes terrifies her. It's all true. She has to have a baby with one of her closest friends in order for him to receive his full inheritance. She grabs her purse, rises to a stand, and exits the room quietly. She can hear Rick call her name, so she increases her pace practically running to the elevator in hopes he doesn't catch her.

The doors open as soon as she presses the down button. She races in and presses the first floor, praying she can get away from her husband. He dashes inside just as the doors are closing. Breathlessly, he asks, "What are you doing?"

"I can't do this anymore, Rick. We can't bring a baby into this," she explains desperately.

"Let's just talk about it. We…."

Michonne shakes her head as she cuts him off. "I don't want to talk about it. I'm not agreeing to this."

"So you're just gonna walk away from me, from the marriage…..the money?"

She looks him straight in the eye. "Yes."

_Eight months earlier_

Rick Grimes is seated at the bar of a popular restaurant, nursing his fourth straight shot of bourbon, trying his best to get drunk. He just left his family's attorney's office and he is not too happy with what he discovered. He celebrated another birthday the week before and was all set to receive his full inheritance once and for all. He wasn't expecting to hear what he heard. Apparently, the only way he can receive his inheritance according to dear old Granddaddy James is to marry.

Marriage is the last thing on his mind. He loves being single as he can date whoever he wants, he doesn't have to answer to anybody, he has all the freedom in the world and he likes having his king sized bed all to himself.

He sighs heavily as he can't believe this is happening to him. He went through law school just like his parents and grandparents wanted. He took the bar exam and passed. He is a licensed attorney albeit not a practicing one yet they're still unhappy. His entire being is screaming _fuck the inheritance_ but he already knows he won't be able to walk away. This is a challenge of sorts and he never backs down from a challenge. He snorts knowing his mom was the one to convince her father to do this before he passed away. She has been on him about settling down for the last three and a half years. She also knows he loves a challenge.

The only problem is he is currently not in a relationship and hasn't dated anyone seriously for the last year. Honestly, he just didn't want to put in the work of getting to know someone all over again, adhering to their likes and dislikes. He knew he would get around to it eventually but he was enjoying himself right now. He's been enjoying himself for the past several years, so why change now?

He pinches the bridge of his nose before staring down into the contents of his glass, his mind turning with the possibilities of the new development in his life._ How to get married without really being married? Does that even make sense? _He knows reaching out to any of his old girlfriends is a no go. They'd try to throw in love and affection and that is not what he needs right now.

He starts when he feels a pair of hands grab his shoulders. He looks back and recognizes Glenn, a first year law student he has gotten to know as Rick is currently employed by a local law school, lecturing on criminal law.

"What's up dude?" Glenn asks, taking a seat next to his friend.

"Some pretty heavy shit. That's what," Rick details.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"More like forget about it if I can," Rick returns.

Glenn shrugs as he orders a drink and starts to tell Rick about the girl he met earlier that day. Soon they are joined by Daryl, Sasha, and Michonne. The latter hones in on Rick's mood immediately. She decides to wait and ask him what's going on when they're away from the others. They grab a table and order entrees, sharing stories about what is currently going on in their lives. The friends get together at least once every other week and truly enjoy each other's company.

At least two hours later, they are saying their goodbyes and promising to make plans for their next outing.

Rick walks Michonne to her car and when she is sure no one else is around she asks if he's ok. He opens her car door for her and asks if they can talk. When she nods, he walks over to the passenger side and climbs in.

Several minutes later, Michonne lets out an exhausted breath. "Wow, Grimes. You _have_ had a bad day. So, what are you going to do?"

Rick sighs as he allows his head to drop back to the headrest. "I have no idea. I don't want to get married but I don't want to lose my inheritance either."

"And here I was ready to complain about my life," Michonne supplies.

"Well, let's forget about me. What's going on with you?"

"The usual. I'm working over 50 hours a week which leaves me little time to get my private practice off the ground, my student loans are kicking my ass and I can't see my way out of not getting a personal loan to get my practice started." She sighs heavily. "Everything is telling me to just give it up, but I feel like if I let it go even for a little while I won't be able to pick it back up again."

"Well, things just aren't going our way, huh?" He laughs lightly. "Tomorrow's gonna be a better day for both of us, right?"

Despite everything, Michonne can always count on Rick to bring some positivity to any situation. She smiles at him. "Right. Tomorrow will be better." She noticed his intake of libations earlier and wonders about his inebriation level. "Do I need to drive you home?"

He scoffs. "How is that you know me so well? Can I just crash at your place? I've been ignoring my mom's calls to my cell, so I can imagine she's calling the house back to back."

Michonne starts the car. "My place it is then."

They arrive at her complex and go inside to prepare for bed as the hour is late. Rick bids her good night and goes straight to the guest room, knowing he has at least two sets of clothes already folded neatly in one of the dresser drawers. He changes clothes quickly and crashes, not even bothering to pull the comforter and linens back on the bed.

At exactly four am, Rick's eyes pop open and the conversation he had with Michonne earlier replays in his head. _She needs money. I need a wife who won't really be a wife to get enough money to take care of both of us for the rest of our lives._ He gets excited at the thought of having a solution to her problem and his.

He hops up off the bed and races to her room. He barges in without knocking, knowing she is asleep but this revelation can't wait. He moves over to the side of the bed where she's sleeping peacefully and kneels down to the floor.

"Michonne, I know what we have to do to make things better. You have to marry me. If we get married, all of our problems are solved," Rick says.

She stirs slightly, but remains oblivious.

He shakes her shoulder lightly. "Will you marry me?"

"Rick? What are you doing?" Michonne frowns as she does not appreciate the interruption of her sleep.

"Just say you'll marry me and you can go back to sleep," Rick requests.

"I'll marry you. Go to bed please." She grabs a pillow and puts it over her head, ignoring him.

He smiles and slowly gets to his feet and walks out of the room. He knows he won't be able to go back to sleep with his adrenaline racing like it is so he moves into the living room and turns on the TV. He also knows it won't be so simple to convince her but she heard him. He can't wait to see her reaction in the full light of day.

Michonne is awakened by the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee and bacon. _ Today is already better. Rick is cooking breakfast. Yes!_ She tosses the comforter back and moves out of bed and to her bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth.

She walks into the kitchen. "Good morning." She takes in the already set table as he returns her greeting and walks over to hand her a cup of coffee. She takes a seat at the table and takes a sip of her brew just as he delivers a plate of fresh fruit, bacon, eggs, and toast.

"This looks great, Grimes. I see you're already feeling better this morning," she tells him with a smile.

"I feel great. How about you?"

"I'm ok. I know everything's going to work out."

He frowns as he notes that she obviously doesn't recall their short conversation earlier. He was sure she'd remember but if he has to remind her then so be it. He walks back into the kitchen to retrieve his plate and then joins her at the table.

"So, I ummm….have a solution to both of our problems," he relays.

"You do? Well, let's hear it," she suggests.

"We kinda talked about this earlier. You don't remember?"

Michonne looks up from her plate. "In the car you mean?"

"Nope. After that." He hesitates before he plunges on. "I came to your room and told you all about it."

Michonne sits back, trying to recall the memory. "All I know is you tried to wake me up, I didn't like it, so I said whatever you wanted me to say to get you to leave."

"In other words, you don't remember what you agreed to?" Rick inquires.

She nods as she continues to enjoy her breakfast. "What did I agree to?"

Rick contemplates his answer. "You agreed to marry me."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Two weeks pass and Michonne ponders over Rick's proposal the entire time. It truly is the simple solution to both of their situations. He gets his inheritance without any tangible entanglements and she gets her student loans paid off and the money needed for her private practice thus the end of her state government career and the beginning of the career she had always planned for. It was a win win for both of them, so why the hesitation? She would much rather focus on the matter at hand than to explore any reason behind her hesitation.

She supposes she could put some questions before him to find out what this arrangement would entail precisely. She scoffs as she remembers their first encounter. She made up her mind immediately that she was going to hate him.

They were first year law students and he was part of her study group for the entire semester. The professor assigned both of them as leads for the group. She had his contact information and had been trying to reach him days before the group was scheduled to meet for the first time. He never returned her calls and he was 20 minutes late for the meeting. She took one look at him and surmised that he wasn't bad on the eyes, but she was still unbelievably annoyed with him.

Surprisingly, he came prepared and the study group meeting went smoothly from that point on. Everyone received their assignments for the upcoming presentation and agreed to meet next week to ensure their preparedness.

He invited her for coffee after the meeting and she reluctantly agreed. It became routine for them whether or not she was perturbed with him for the way he handled their assignments. She was used to organization and promptness whereas Rick exhibited neither of those, but he always came through with flying colors.

Michonne is still unsure how he managed to ride her coattails throughout law school with his partying and dating a new girl every other month. He was what she described as the typical rich boy who had everything delivered to him on a silver platter. She believes the only reason he was drawn to her is because she stood up to him unlike others. If he was late or lagging behind, she brought it to his attention. Instead of being annoyed with her, he thought her "concern" was cute and she honestly made him want to do better. For some odd reason, he also didn't like to see her upset with him, so he toed her line for the most part and made sure he pulled his weight. They were both concentrated in criminal law, so they were in each other's orbit for most of law school.

Now, he is one of her closest friends and she was actually closer to accepting his proposal than refusing it. She picks up her cell phone and sends him a text. Only seconds later, she receives a response and makes plans to go straight to his place after work.

Hours later, she and Rick are at his place and he is patiently answering any questions she has about their assumed marriage.

"So, what are we going to tell people? Our families? Our friends?" Michonne asks. "Is your mom going to believe us? She knows we've been friends for years….just friends, Rick."

"Well, friends love each other, right? That love can develop into something more."

"Ok, friends to lovers to husband and wife. Can we really convince people?" Michonne inquires.

"I don't see why not. Actors and actresses do it all the time. We'd just be playacting, putting on a show so to speak."

She sighs heavily. _Putting on a show. Easier said than done. _ "Well, as long as we're on the same page, I guess we can do this."

He smiles. "Really? You're gonna marry me?"

She returns his smile as she swallows nervously. "Yes, I'm really gonna marry you."

He slides over, getting closer to her as they are sitting side by side on the living room sofa. He pulls her into a hug and says, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm thinking we won't need an official document between us. I trust you and you trust me, right?"

Rick smiles even wider. "With my life."

"Are we planning a ceremony or…" she trails off as Rick shakes his head.

"We're going to Vegas, my friend. Let's live it up before we put the shackles on." He laughs at his own joke.

Michonne laughs with him but can't help replaying the word shackles over in her head.

Three weeks later, they board a plane on a Thursday night, traveling to Las Vegas, NV. They both put in leave for Friday and Monday to ensure a long weekend. Daryl and Sasha travel with them to serve as witnesses in addition to taking a mini vacation. They arrive at the hotel, the guys occupying one double room while the ladies occupy the other. They all shower and change and meet up for a late night dinner.

The next day, Rick and Michonne take care of obtaining a marriage license and schedule their nuptials at a local chapel for 5 o'clock that evening. She purchased an off white knee length dress for the occasion while Rick rented a tuxedo and purchased their wedding bands.

At exactly 5:37 pm, Rick and Michonne were married. The officiator smiles at them and tells Rick he can salute his bride. Michonne is not sure how she forgot about this part of the ceremony. Rick smiles down at her and places a hand at her waist. He leans in and kisses her chastely. Michonne returns his smile and was just about to pull away when he tightens his grip at her waist and brings his other hand up to cup her face.

She looks into his eyes, wondering what he is about. She can't help but gasp as Rick leans in once more and places his lips to hers yet again. He opens his mouth just a fraction and traces her lips with his tongue.

_Putting on a show so to speak._ Rick's words come back to her full force. She convinces herself that is exactly what Rick is doing, so she decides to oblige him and counter his play. She brings a hand up and gently grabs a lapel, pulling him even closer. She opens her mouth and the two of them share a short but meaningful and tasteful kiss.

"Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Grimes," the officiator announces jovially before moving off to prepare for the next ceremony.

Sasha and Daryl share a look before moving forward to congratulate their friends.

"Y'all ready to gamble?" Daryl asks.

Rick can't help thinking that he just rolled the proverbial dice.

**A/N: Please tell me what you think. I'm ready to start on Part II if you really want another installment.**


	34. In Name Only Part II Chapter 34

Richonne (Short Love Stories) In Name Only (Chapter 34)

**A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, the follows, the favorites, and most of all for reading. I appreciate you all so much.**

_One week later_

"Well, I guess congratulations are in order," Ms. Gladys salutes her son. "Michonne….uh, your wife couldn't join us?"

Rick leans over to kiss his mother on the cheek before taking the seat across from her. They were meeting for lunch at her insistence since he told her he had gotten married and remained silent about the details.

"She's working, but I'm sure you'll insist we come over for dinner soon, right?" Rick asks.

"Of course and not just any dinner. I'd like to honor your union with a small reception since you two were so anxious and couldn't plan a church wedding," Ms. Gladys observes.

Rick ignores her quip. "A reception sounds nice. I'd have to check with Michonne first."

"Listen to you. Already a dutiful husband." Ms. Gladys smiles knowingly.

Her son looks a bit uncomfortable as he grabs his menu and starts perusing with feigned interest. "So, how's Dad?"

"Busy as usual. Won't slow down for one…." Ms. Gladys trails off as Rick interrupts.

"I mean, how's Dad with all of this?" Rick inquires with caution.

"Well, he wasn't quite sure how he should react, but he's fine as I explained my take on the whole thing," she answers.

"And what's your take?" Rick counters.

"You and Michonne have been friends for a while now. She brings something out in you and I've always admired that about you two. I guess it was just a natural progression, right?"

Rick nods absently, his mother's words sinking in deep. He is grateful she moves the conversation to her plans for their reception.

Over the next few weeks, Rick and Michonne fall into a routine. She moves in with him but decides to maintain her residence as well. Rick is not happy with it, but secretly decides to work on persuading her to change her mind. She transfers enough of her personal items to transform one of Rick's guest bedrooms into a nice little homey haven. He also allows her to make any changes she wants to other rooms in the house, wanting her to feel completely comfortable.

Michonne is content, especially after attending his parent's dinner reception in their honor and realizing that Mr. and Mrs. Grimes were convinced that their friendship had blossomed into love. She can't help feeling a little guilty about it, but this is to help Rick and everything seems to be falling right into place.

Her work schedule requires her to arrive at work no later than 8:30 and Rick usually starts his work day around 10, so he dutifully rises with her and they share breakfast each morning. Michonne tells him he doesn't have to do that but he always comments that it's what a good husband would do. She is thrown off balance even more when he walks her to the door to say goodbye and kisses her on the cheek every morning just like a loving husband would do.

Most evenings, she closes up in her room for a couple of hours after work just to work on a few things for her newly realized practice. She just needs to get some things lined up as far as finding a conducive office space to rent or purchase, furniture, filing the correct paperwork, obtaining statutory and official legal books for the state of GA, etc.

Rick offers to help but she is so determined to get as much done on her own that she politely declines. She lets him know that it's a goal of hers and it would feel better if she did most of the work herself.

He is still willing to help out as much as he can, so he either prepares their dinner, orders out or picks up something on his way home from work.

Another Friday night arrives and they have plans with their friends. Rick calls Michonne early and asks if they should meet at home and drive over together. She declines, saying she has a couple of things to finish up at work and would meet him there.

They are now ensconced in their evening out, enjoying drinks, food, and conversation. Glenn has asked Maggie to join them for the last two gatherings and she fit in seamlessly. Michonne is laughing with her about something when Rick notices her ring finger is bare. Before he knows it, he taps her hand to get her attention.

"Where's your ring?" He asks.

Michonne stops and looks at her hand as if it's the first time she has done so that today. She frowns slightly. "I must have forgotten it again. I'm still getting used to wearing it." She turns back to Maggie, the issue over and done with for her.

_Again?_ Rick thinks to himself. He frowns as he lifts his glass to his mouth for another sip of his drink. He locks eyes with Daryl and looks away quickly.

A couple of hours later, they are preparing to call it a night and the ladies are away from the table, getting in a bathroom break.

Glenn looks over at his friend and ponders whether he should say this or not, but decides to throw caution to the wind. "Hey, ummm….Rick?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure this marriage thing was a good idea?" Glenn asks.

"What do you mean?" Rick returns.

"I don't know. You just seem….really invested in this," Glenn tells him.

"I am. Michonne and I have an understanding. This is basically a business deal," Rick assures.

"You sure about that?" Daryl chimes in.

Just then Rick hears Michonne's laughter across the restaurant. He's not even sure how he could detect her with all the buzzing noise surrounding them, but he did. She is laughing and talking with some guy he's never seen before. The guy politely touches her arm as they continue to converse.

"Who the hell is she talking to?" Rick moves to get up out of his chair, but Daryl places a hand on his shoulder.

The latter shakes his head as he looks directly at his friend. "Rick, what's going on with you, man? Are you falling for her?"

Rick scoffs, grabbing at his drink as a distraction. "No."

"But you noticed she wasn't wearing her ring and you were upset about it. Now you're questioning who she's talking to. You better pull up dude before it's too late," Glenn surmises.

"Too late for what?" Michonne asks as she returns to their table, picking up on the last of their conversation.

Glenn opens his mouth but Rick interrupts him.

"Nothing. You ready?" He asks Michonne.

"Yeah, but I'd like to say good night to Maggie and Sasha if you don't mind," Michonne relays as she claims her chair to wait for their friends.

Rick nods as he avoids the stares he is getting from Glenn and Daryl. He turns to Michonne. "So, who was that guy you were talking to?"

Glenn laughs as Daryl lets out a soft expletive.

The next morning, Michonne is preparing for a jog through the neighborhood. It's hard to include exercise during the week, so she tries to get something in on the weekends. Rick is seated in the kitchen, perusing the daily newspaper and partaking of some fruit and coffee.

Michonne grabs a couple of strawberries. "Good morning."

"Morning," he returns but never lowers the paper.

Michonne doesn't want to explore the reasons why but detects that Rick is just a tad miffed about her not wearing her band. She can't help but notice he hasn't taken his off since he put it on. That makes her feel a bit guilty so she is determined to bring a smile to his face.

"Care to join me on my jog this morning?"

"No, thanks. I'll see you when you get back. Anything you wanna do today?" He asks while still keeping the paper between them.

Michonne moves closer to him. "I'm sorry I forgot to put the ring on. I'll do better. I promise."

He finally puts the paper down and looks up at her. Before he can reply, she holds her hand up, her palm facing her and wiggles her fingers to show him she is wearing her band.

He smiles. "Thanks." Neither of them bother with coming up with an excuse why wearing the bands is important. They just accept it and move on.

"Well, I'm off. I'll see you in a while." She steps to him and surprises herself and him when she places a kiss to the top of his head.

They spend the next two or three weekends looking at office space to rent or purchase for Michonne's practice. She recalls how she wanted to do most of the leg work to get the practice off the ground, but she is glad Rick wanted to help. She values his opinion and knows he only wants the best for her.

A little more time passes and Rick has taken care of providing a copy of their marriage license to the family attorney, therefore starting the process to claim his inheritance. In the meantime, he assures Michonne about procuring personal loans for her practice. He relays that it should only be a matter of weeks before the inheritance comes through and she can pay everything off at once.

Michonne is sitting at her desk, enjoying a slow day at work and can't help reflecting on Rick and their friendship. She knows it's just that….a friendship but wonders if an actual marriage to him would be as good as what she's experiencing right now. He is thoughtful, he is kind, he has surprised her with little gifts, he still kisses her every morning before she leaves for work, he cooks, he listens when she talks….she surmises that he did most of those things anyway before they got married, so why do they matter so much now? A vision of her and Rick during their marriage ceremony in Vegas floats to her mind and she fantasizes about the kiss they shared. She swallows soundly as she realizes the only thing missing in her relationship or marriage is sex.

She almost laughs at the thought since she hasn't been sexually active in over a year now. She gave up on taking birth control six months ago as it was evident she wouldn't be getting laid again for a while. She believed what she had with Mike was special, but it became painfully obvious that she carried that belief on her own. While she remained faithful during their year long relationship, he cheated for half of the time they were together. Rick was there for her as he was going through something similar with Lori. They both thought they had found the people they would marry and they were both fooled. It's amazing to her that neither of them ever talk about that dark time in their lives but maybe their current predicament mirrors the effects of those relationships. Although this business arrangement of a marriage benefits both of them, she can't deny that they are a safe bet for each other. It has been over a year since either of them dated anyone seriously and they end up marrying each other. _What is wrong with us? Are we that afraid to try again?_ She shakes her head as her thoughts are taking her down a path she'd rather not travel.

Meanwhile, Rick is seated in a small café on the campus of the university about to have some lunch. He gives the waitress his order and sighs deeply as he takes in his surroundings. This place is always teeming with college kids, but faculty and staff frequent it as well. He notices a colleague and was about to wave him over when the red-haired gentleman is joined by a beautiful dark-skinned woman who immediately reminds him of Michonne. He watches as the couple greet each other with a kiss before being seated at a table. He looks away as he doesn't want to stare and he especially doesn't want them to catch him staring. He can't help but wonder if he'll ever have a significant other again. He knows legally he already does, but this is a marriage of convenience. He now second guesses himself and wonders if he and Michonne made the right decision.

He smiles as the waitress places his order in front of him and tells him to enjoy it. He welcomes the distraction as he prepares to partake of his lunch.

_She brings something out in you and I've always admired that about you two._ His Mother's words come back to him clearly as he ponders on his relationship with Michonne. He has to agree as he does feel that he's a better person because of her. She challenged him and continues to do so. She is always there for him, she listens to him, she believes in him, she encourages him….that kiss on the head only started little gives and takes of affection between them. Nothing overt, just a hand squeeze or an innocent kiss or even a shared glance. She has come to mean so much to him that he can't think of them not being this way with each other. They never discussed what they'd do after he received the inheritance. Whether or not they'd annul the marriage or let things remain as they are. He wouldn't mind if things stayed the way that they are. He wonders how Michonne would feel about it.

He thought he would have a chance to talk to her about it, but she called and said she'd be working late. _On a Friday night? _He doesn't dwell on it. He almost joined Glenn, Daryl, and some other friends to watch a basketball game on TV, but declined. He opted to watch a movie and order a pizza, wondering how long it would be before his wife arrived home.

Rick's eyes pop open and he realizes he fell asleep on the couch. He wonders about the time as it feels kind of late. He looks at his wristwatch and determines it's almost 3 in the morning. He scrubs his face with his hands and peels himself off the couch. He switches off the TV and the lights and makes his way upstairs, assuming Michonne is asleep in her room. He notices her door is slightly ajar so he walks over to look in on her and close the door all the way. He peeps in and notices a completely empty, made up bed.

_She's not home?!_ He races back down the stairs and grabs his cell phone off the kitchen counter. He checks the missed calls, but none are from Michonne. He dials her cell quickly only to get her voice mail. He tried again with the same result. He contemplates calling Sasha or Maggie, wondering if she could be spending time with one of them. Before he could decide, he hears a key in the door and turns toward the living room area.

Michonne walks in slowly, closing and locking the door behind her. She turns around to start tiptoeing towards the stairs and freezes as she encounters Rick coming from the kitchen area.

She straightens up to her full height. "Hey. I didn't know you'd still be up."

"Michonne, it's 3 o'clock in the morning. Where have you been? You couldn't call and let me know you were ok?" Rick asks with concern.

Feelings of guilt assail her so her response is more defensive than intended. "First of all, I know what time it is, secondly, I was out having drinks with friends, and thirdly, I didn't know I had to check in with you."

Rick frowns. "I was just worried. That's all. It's not like you to stay out like this."

"Without you….you mean?" She sighs heavily. "I just needed to try something different, so I went out with some co-workers."

"Let me guess. The co-worker you saw at the restaurant a while back?" Rick guesses.

Michonne eyes him. "Yes, he was there. So what?"

"Are you seeing him?"

"You're asking me if I've been unfaithful to you? And just how faithful have you been?"

"I've been nothing but faithful. You should know that," Rick tells her.

Michonne deflates quickly as she does know it. "Why?"

"What?"

"Why have you been faithful?" She inquires.

Rick looks down at his sock covered feet, wondering how to answer her. "I….I don't know. I….we got married and isn't that what married people do? Stay faithful to each other?"

Michonne closes her eyes against the image he is presenting. A handsome man unsure of what he is feeling, unsure if he is supposed to be feeling the way he's feeling. She opens her eyes and looks at him. "Yes, we stay faithful to each other because that's what we're supposed to do." She hesitates. "I haven't been unfaithful to you, Rick. The thought has never crossed my mind."

He gives her a slight smile, his relief so evident that Michonne makes a decision right then and there. She's not sure if the slight buzz she received from her alcohol intake is the culprit or if it's her heart or her head. She just knows what she wants and she's going to go for it.

"We're always going to be friends, right? No matter what happens between us?" She asks cautiously.

"Of course. Always." Rick assumes she means their marriage and how it could possibly end between them.

"I want something from you. Is that ok?" She takes a step toward him.

"Anythang you want. You know that," Rick tells her sincerely.

She walks over to him, her chest brushing his as she looks up and searches his eyes.

"Michonne?"

She leans in and places her lips against his.

He pulls back to look at her. "You've been drinking…..you…."

She shakes her head as she places her hands on his shoulders. "I'm not drunk, Rick. I know exactly what I want."

She pulls him toward her and kisses him again, moving her lips against his until he responds. She opens her mouth to taste him with her tongue as he wraps an arm around her waist and brings their bodies flush against each other.

**A/N: Part III?**


	35. In Name Only Part III Chapter 35

Richonne (Short Love Stories) In Name Only (Chapter 35)

Michonne awakens to the sunlight filtering in through the sheer curtain panels and a serene quietness. She stretches and welcomes the soreness at her core as memories of what she shared with Rick earlier come flooding back to her. She smiles as she looks to her side and he is there sleeping soundlessly with his back to her. She glances up at the ceiling and can't help but relish in the happiness that flows through her entire body.

She moves a little closer to him, wanting to feel his skin on hers, his body on hers. She turns to rest on her side, her front facing his back. She places a hand softly on his bicep and starts to feather light kisses on his upper back, his shoulder, and his neck.

Rick smiles before opening his eyes, loving the feel of her lips on his body, her breasts pressing into his back. "Good morning," he says before turning to face her.

"Good morning," she returns. She smiles almost shyly. "Did we do what I think we did?"

Rick frowns slightly. "Are you having another memory lapse?"

She bites her bottom lip. "Not quite, but this doesn't seem real right now. Are we gonna be ok?"

Her husband smiles as he pulls her into his arms. "We're gonna be fine."

She closes her eyes with a slight shudder as she feels his hardened member twitch against her thigh. She knows they have to be just as careful as they were last night since the only box of condoms he had in the house had expired months ago, but she wants him again and refuses to deny herself. She pushes him onto his back and straddles him, aligning her body with his as she slowly eases down onto his stiffness.

He sighs deeply as he places his hands on her hips and moves with her. His eyes rove all over her, from her beautiful, flawless face, lingering on her lips, to her long, slender neck, her slim shoulders, small but ample breasts, her nipples hardened and beckoning for him, her slightly defined biceps, her taut and flat abdomen, indented waist, the patch of curls covering her womanhood, his hands splayed over her hips, and finally her smooth and firm thighs gripping his sides.

She brings her hands up to his chest and drops down a little harder on him, eliciting a loud groan. She gazes into his expressive blue eyes before appreciating his succulent lips. She moves her hands to his pecs and squeezes him affectionately. She prays he can pull out in time but she could care less at this moment as he feels so good and she never wants their connection to end.

They spend the day in bed, laughing and reminiscing about their first meeting and their friendship over the years. They talk about current events, their jobs….topics they are used to discussing but everything seems to have taken on a whole new meaning.

Later that night, they meet Daryl and Sasha for dinner. Glenn and Maggie were attending a concert together. Otherwise, they would've joined their group. Michonne tries her best not to act too giddy with Rick as she doesn't want Daryl and Sasha to pick up on anything. Unbeknownst to her, Sasha is experiencing the same predicament as she and Daryl recently started dating but haven't revealed anything yet. To combat any issues, Michonne and Sasha engage each other while Daryl and Rick talk.

Hours later, Michonne and Rick are on their way home when she asks him to pull into a Walgreens. He snaps his finger as if he is remembering something and switches off the engine after parking. They both get out of the car and hold hands while they enter the store. They branch off in search of the items they need.

Minutes later, Michonne ventures over to the contraceptives only to find her husband there, perusing the selection. She saunters up to him with a smile.

He smiles back. "See anything you like?"

She is all of a sudden anxious to get home. They make a couple of selections, grab several boxes, check out at the register, and move quickly to the car.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Michonne is having a girls' night out with Maggie and Sasha. They went shopping earlier and are now having dinner and drinks. The former laughs as she checks her cell phone yet again that night. She gasps when Maggie grabs the phone to read the text.

"You've been texting Rick all this time? What does RYW stand for?" Maggie asks.

Michonne snatches her phone back. "Stop being nosy."

"Uh-uh. What gives? You've been walking around with this huge smile all night and now we find out it's Rick you've been texting?" Maggie surmises.

"I didn't want to say anything, but you're right, Maggie. Something's going on," Sasha interjects.

Michonne sighs as she feels she is being ganged up on but she really is bursting to tell them what's going on with Rick.

"Are you falling for your husband?" Sasha frowns deeply. "That sounds so weird. I mean, he is your husband so maybe you should be falling for him. Heck, I don't know. Just tell us what's going on."

"I don't know what to tell you. Things are just….going really well and I'm happy," Michonne shares.

"So, what does that mean? Are you guys gonna stay married now? I mean, once he gets the inheritance and everything?" Sasha inquires.

Being reminded of the inheritance gives Michonne pause. She knows that's why they got married, but she doesn't want it to be the reason they stay married._ Stay married? Do I wanna stay married to Rick?_

She looks between her friends. "I don't know what the future holds for us. I'm just enjoying what we have now."

"And what is that?" Maggie probes.

Michonne lifts her eyebrows with a devilish smile.

"Michonne! You didn't?!" Sasha exclaims.

"Wow! You mean….you did it….with Rick? Your best friend?" Maggie asks, then shakes her head. "Hell, he is your husband, isn't he?"

Michonne can't help but laugh. She feels a little less stressed about it now that Maggie and Sasha know.

"This is the weirdest situation I have ever been privy to. How can I advise you about sleeping with your husband?" Sasha wonders. "Well, since we're making confessions….Daryl and I started dating."

They laugh so loud, they draw the attention of other patrons in the restaurant.

The following week, Michonne arrives home early. She is excited as the approval for her real estate purchase came through and the first step to her private practice has been realized. She called Rick earlier in the day to share the news with him and he suggested they go out to celebrate. She walks into the kitchen and gasps as she sees a huge vase with at least two dozen red roses. She drops her purse and briefcase on the counter and takes a deep whiff of the flowers' fragrant scent.

Rick walks into the kitchen and smiles as he witnesses her with her eyes closed, smelling the roses. "I take it you like those?"

She opens her eyes and smiles at him. "They're beautiful. Thank you." She moves over to him and gives him a tight hug before kissing him softly on the lips. She looks back at the roses and can't help but wonder if Rick knows the meaning of red roses. She knows the color symbolizes more than one thing, but she can't help gravitating to what she wants it to mean.

"So, I thought we'd dine downtown tonight. I want you to get all dolled up and I'll put on a nice suit to look half way decent with you on my arm," Rick tells her.

She smiles as he always makes her feel beautiful. "You are going to look more than decent and you know it."

They enjoy a wonderful time at dinner and have a drink or two at a nearby jazz club with a live band. Michonne is more than surprised when Rick asks her to dance. She puts her hand in his and allows him to lead her onto the dance floor. She shudders as he takes her into his arms tenderly and starts to sway to the music. She reflects on how happy she is at this time in her life. She is married to her best friend and if she is honest with herself, she is falling fast for him and the life he has shown her that they could have together, her practice is finally coming to fruition…..all is well in her life.

Soon, they reclaim their table and Michonne is about to say something when a female squeals and rushes over to Rick, hugging him from behind.

"Rick! I can hardly believe it's you!" The dark blonde exclaims.

Michonne watches with interest as Rick disentangles her arms from his neck and turns to face her.

"Mandy?" He asks.

"The one and only, suga. How you been? I sure do hate I let you get away," she tells him before she finally notices Michonne. "Who's this?"

"I'm Michonne. Nice to meet you."

"This is my wife, Mandy," Rick supplies.

Mandy gasps. "Your wife? Awww….damn. Does that mean I can't get another taste of you?"

Michonne's eyes flash with fire as she tries to reign in her emotions.

Rick holds up his hand, brandishing his ring. "That's exactly what it means. Well, it was nice seeing you. Take care of yourself."

Mandy sighs as she looks to Michonne. "Congratulations, honey. You got yourself one helluva man right here." She laughs. "Well, I guess you already know how good he is and how insatiable."

"Good night, Mandy," Rick says firmly.

"Good night," Mandy returns hesitantly before sauntering off.

"Was she before or after Lori?" Michonne asks.

Rick swallows nervously not wanting to upset Michonne. "Before."

"Well, you certainly left a lasting impression on her," she returns.

"Michonne, that was my past. I'm not proud of it, but I can't change it. I know better now…and when you know better, you do better, right?" Rick suggests.

"Whatever. This _was_ a nice night," she says.

"Don't let her ruin it."

Michonne doesn't want to let her ruin it, but she can't help thinking back to those days when Rick was "out there" so to speak. She never judged him, but she wasn't sleeping with him then either. She suddenly wants to know all the details about his sexual escapades. Should she expect other women from his past to pop up at any given time? Why does she suddenly feel insecure with him? She doesn't like feeling insecure about anything.

"I think I'd like to go home now," she tells him.

Rick drops his head as he can detect that she's not happy. _Damn_. "Ok." He pays for their drinks and escorts her out to his car.

He tries to engage her in conversation the entire ride home, but she only gives him one word answers and he knows she is thinking and thinking hard.

They arrive home. She continues on up the stairs as he locks the door and punches in the code to activate the security system. He moves up the stairs and goes to his bedroom, expecting her to be there but she's not. His neck muscles bunch up with agitation but he takes a deep calming breath before he makes his way to her room. He knocks on the door softly and waits patiently for her to open it.

She finally does, tying the belt of a robe as she stands by the door. "Yes?"

"Don't do this. Come to bed with me. I won't be able to sleep without you," Rick implores.

Michonne feels her resolve crumbling, but she is determined to sleep in her room, in her bed tonight. "You'll be fine."

He sighs as he catches her eyes with his. "Well, can I at least kiss you good night?"

"Fine." Michonne moves closer to him and leans in slightly. She gasps as she feels a shift of air as Rick drops to his knees and parts her robe. "Rick?"

He kisses her lace covered center then looks up at her. "I never said which lips I wanted to kiss."

Her knees nearly give way at the deep husky seductive tone of his voice and to witness his eyes darken with desire. Her tongue darts out to moisture her suddenly dry lips and she closes her eyes as he reaches beneath her robe and hooks his fingers in her panties and drags them down.

He lowers her to the floor and spreads her legs before dropping his head down and placing his mouth on her. He flicks his tongue against her before moving in to suckle gently, rolling his head to exaggerate his oral penetration.

All Michonne can do is whimper as Rick has her right where he wants her. She spreads her legs even wider as she rolls her hips in an upward motion to meet his tongue. She can't even think about being mad at him when he is doing this to her. Any coherent thoughts or agitation quickly dissipate.

Not much time elapses before her body starts to quake as orgasm claims her. "Oh…..oh…" She comes completely undone as Rick reaches up and palms her breasts, pinching her nipples lightly through her bra.

He licks her until her tremors are minimal, an indication that she reached a full release. He lifts himself to his knees and slowly starts to disrobe.

Michonne watches as he rises to a stand to remove his shoes and pants, standing before her completely naked. He moves over to the nightstand, grabbing a condom. He strokes himself deliberately, knowing she is watching his every move. He eyes her as he rips the wrapper and proceeds to sheathe himself with the latex. She swallows nervously knowing she couldn't deny him even if she wanted to.

He walks over to her, dropping down to one knee as he positions an arm across her back and another beneath her knees, lifting her effortlessly to the bed. He proceeds to remove her robe and her bra and takes a moment to stare at her naked form. He decides to take his time loving her, starting at her toes and slowly making his way up her body before lying atop her, using a knee to part her legs.

She kisses along his neck and shoulders as she feels him seeking entrance. Her breath hitches as he enters her smoothly, burying himself deep. She wraps her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as they move together, both so ensconced in the other that nothing else matters in that moment.

The next morning is routine as usual. They have breakfast together before Michonne leaves for work and Rick kisses her as he always does only their goodbye kisses have escalated from a chaste peck on the cheek to a full on French kiss right by the door.

Later that night they are having dinner when Rick brings up Thanksgiving which is only days away. "You haven't said what your plans are. Mom would like us to come to the house and she suggested that you invite your parents."

Michonne sputters as the water she was drinking went down the wrong way. She recovers quickly and asks, "My parents?"

"Yes, your mom and dad. Is that a problem?"

Michonne places her napkin on the table, unable to look Rick in his eyes. "Well…..I should probably just go home for Thanksgiving. I haven't seen them in a while and….."

"You haven't told them about the marriage, have you?" Rick picks up on her reaction quickly.

She swallows nervously. "I….I just didn't know how to tell them. I can't lie to them."

"So is that what we're doing….still? We're lying? Playacting? Is that what you were doing last night when you screamed my name over and over…."

"Rick…." She realizes that Rick is suddenly angry and maybe he has every right to be, but this is on him. All of this was his idea. "I'm not…I wasn't playacting. I just couldn't tell my parents. They take marriage seriously…."

"And mine don't?"

"I didn't say that." She rolls her eyes heavenward as she realizes nothing she says is going to make this any better. "Can I just tell them before I invite them over and blindside them with this? Maybe I can go home for Thanksgiving and we can all get together for Christmas."

He just sits back and stares at her. "I can't believe you haven't told them. It's not like I'm some stranger you're bringing home. They've met me before. So, what's the truth? Did you have plans to tell them or were you just going to claim your just rewards and divorce me without your parents ever knowing?"

"I don't know what I was going to do. None of this was supposed to happen. You said we'd just be getting married as a solution to both our problems. Things…..changed."

He scoffs. "Why did they change, Michonne? If memory serves, you came home at 3 am and decided you wanted to fuck me."

Her mouth drops open at his crassness. "And what about you? Acting like the freaking husband of the year…buying things, cooking, being considerate and helpful and kissing me before I left for work each morning? You started this!"

"I can finish it too."

She gasps as she looks at him. The thought of divorce evoked an emotion in her that she wasn't ready to recognize. Her eyes grow glossy with unshed tears.

Rick realizes he said the wrong thing when Michonne tears up and bolts from the table. "Shit." He goes after her and catches her on the stairs. "I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. I just….thought I meant enough to you that you'd tell your parents about us."

"Is there an us?"

He nods as he wipes the tears from her cheeks. "I want _you_. If this isn't what you want, tell me now."

"I do want this and I want you, too." She smiles as he kisses her softly. "I'll invite my parents for Thanksgiving, but we need to make a trip to Columbus first."

"We?" Rick asks with slight hesitation.

She nods. "I want to tell them with you by my side."

Several minutes later, Rick is looking up into his wife's beautiful brown eyes as she straddles him. He can't believe they're fucking on the stairs but he couldn't move if he tried. Her body has a vise grip on his and he is basking in the pleasurable torture of it all.


	36. In Name Only Part IV Chapter 36

Richonne (Short Love Stories) In Name Only Part IV (Chapter 36)

Michonne and Rick sit quietly in her parents' living room area, awaiting a reaction to the news of their marriage. The former is nervous as she looks at her mother cautiously. What she sees causes her to gasp as Ms. Mae covers her mouth allowing tears to fall down her cheeks.

"Mom, it's ok. Why are you crying?"

"I just can't believe you did this without us," Ms. Mae relays.

Walter pats his wife's thigh affectionately as he eyes Rick suspiciously. "What was the rush? Y'all got something else to tell us?"

Rick shakes his head as Michonne asks, "Something else? Like what?"

"Like me and your mama are about to be grandparents? You're pregnant, right? That's why this trip to Sin City and the quickie wedding?" Walter asks.

Michonne gasps as she looks to Rick for back up. "No, Daddy. I'm not pregnant." She jumps as Rick reaches over to cover one of her hands with one of his.

"We just fell for each other…plain and simple," he tells her parents.

Michonne smiles. "Right."

Ms. Mae sniffles. "Well, I always knew there was something between you two. I just thought we'd get to actually plan something and have a church wedding whenever you decided to settle down. I feel cheated somehow."

"That's what my mom said," Rick supplies.

"Smart woman. I like her already," Ms. Mae returns. She stands from her chair, walks over to Rick, and gives him a hug. "I'm glad it's you. Now, come on into the kitchen so I can feed you. How long are y'all staying?"

"Oh, just for the night. We're going to get a room at the Stanford and…." Michonne trails off as her mother turns to glare at her.

"A room?" She smiles knowingly. "You and Rick are gonna stay right here in your old room. Me and your daddy know what goes on between married folks." She laughs as her daughter and her new son-in-law try not to blush.

Walter stands and claps Rick on the back. "Welcome to the family, son."

Later that night, Rick is rummaging through Michonne's old room, taking his time looking at high school pictures, stuffed animals, and the like as he never got to do this so thoroughly on his other visits with her and her parents.

"So where are all of your little diaries? I know you kept one so don't deny it," he turns to face her as she is lounging on her bed thumbing through a fashion magazine.

"Aren't you nosy tonight and why would I just allow you to read a diary of mine?" She smiles as he plops down next to her.

"You're all grown up now so that stuff should be nothing for you to share with me. I am your husband, you know. We shouldn't have any secrets between us."

She laughs and shakes her head. "What are you searching for Rick Grimes?"

He shrugs. "I don't know." He looks around slowly. "Did you ever sneak any guys in here?"

"Ummm….no. My parents would've killed me," Michonne offers.

"So you're telling me I'm the first guy to ever be allowed in this bed with you?"

"Aside from a cousin or two when I was 5 or 6…..yes," she answers.

He smiles widely as he places a hand at her hip and pulls her to him, planting his lips on hers.

Moments later, they are resting on their backs, side by side, one of her hands entwined with one of his. Rick feels such contentment in that moment that he wishes they could stay like that. He also realizes that she was privy to just about all of his so called relationships but he only had knowledge of Mike. It makes him wonder if there were any other guys in her life. He wants to ask her about it but knows he would have to answer questions as well and isn't ready for that conversation.

The next morning, Rick politely asks his father-in-law about their plans for Thanksgiving, relaying his mother's desire to meet them. Much to Michonne's surprise, her parents agree to forego visiting her mother's sister to come to Atlanta and spend the holiday with them and Rick's family.

Thanksgiving was celebrated seamlessly at Rick's parents' house. The parents met and appeared to hit it off perfectly. Michonne remembered some close family relations and also got to meet some distant ones as well. What she didn't expect was one of Rick's cousins inviting a close friend of hers who also happened to be someone Rick used to date. Other than that, the family dinner was a good one.

She chooses not to say anything but can't help being bothered by it. Rick doesn't address the issue but is sure to stay close by his wife's side for the entire night.

The following Saturday, Rick is spending time with Daryl and Glenn at Glenn's apartment. They decided to grill some steaks despite the cold weather and take in a basketball game. They're standing outside on the balcony, surrounding the grill and nursing beers.

"So you wanna tell me what's really going on with you and Michonne?" Glenn asks.

"What do you mean?" Rick returns.

"I think you better leave that alone, Glenn. You might hear something you didn't expect," Daryl warns.

"Like what? You planning on staying married to her or something? I mean, how can you live with her day in and day out and um…not wanna _really_ be her husband?" Glenn cringes as he says the last part but inquiring minds want to know.

"Who says I'm not _really_ her husband?" Rick counters as he takes a sip of his beer.

Glenn's eyes grow big as Daryl scoffs and says, "Get the fuck outta here."

When Rick doesn't attempt to refute anything, Glenn practically jumps up and down with laughter while Daryl tries to hold back an all knowing smile. The latter flips the steaks over on the grill and shakes his head.

"How long has this been going on? I thought this was supposed to be a fake marriage," Glenn contributes.

"This is not a fake marriage. It may not have started out the way it should have, but we're doing great," Rick relays.

"I knew it. That night at the restaurant when she was talking to that dude and you got all jealous and shit…I knew then you were on your way to being sprung," Daryl remembers.

Rick laughs. "Sprung, whipped….whatever you wanna call it, I'm there."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Glenn inquires. "You're in love with Michonne?"

"Now, hold on. Let's not get too hasty." Rick scratches his head, not really wanting to contemplate what he is truly feeling for his wife. He quickly changes the subject with "You're all in my business. What about you and Maggie?" He looks to Daryl. "What about you and Sasha?"

Daryl frowns. "I knew it. Michonne told you, didn't she?"

Rick raises his eyebrows at Daryl's question. "Michonne hasn't told me anything about you and Sasha, but you just did."

"Wait. Daryl, you're getting with Sasha and Rick is getting with Michonne? What just happened to our little friends circle?" Glenn wants to know.

Two weeks later, Rick surprises Michonne with an early Christmas gift. They are traveling to the mountains to spend a long weekend in a secluded log cabin. A friend of his parents owns it and allowed Rick to stay there. He unloads their luggage and supplies while Michonne curiously takes a tour of the cabin.

She is more than pleased with the quaintness and coziness of the cabin as she makes her way to the covered porch area in the back of the structure overlooking a lake. She wraps her arms around herself to stave off the cold and gazes out over the peaceful looking water. She smiles as her husband walks up behind her and envelopes her in a warm embrace.

He nuzzles the back of her neck softly. "You cold?"

"Just a bit," she answers.

"I'll get a fire going. You coming inside?" With her nod, he takes her hand as they walk in together.

Later that night, after a nice dinner of roasted duck and garden salads, they are sitting in front of the fire enjoying some wine.

Rick almost hates to bring up this subject now but for some reason he can't shake it and he just wants to know about the guys she has dated in the past. He actually talked to his dad of all people about it and he was the one to make the suggestion of them going away and having this conversation in a neutral place so to speak. He doesn't even know why this is an issue for him.

"Can I ask you something?"

Michonne nods. "Anything?"

"Am I the first white guy you've dated?"

She looks to her husband as that wasn't the question she was expecting. "As a matter of fact, no. I dated a guy in law school before Mike."

"In law school? Do I know him?"

"Ummm…why are you asking me this? Does any of that matter now?"

"I just thought we could talk about our pasts just this once and we never have to talk about it again," Rick offers.

"Ok, it was Jonah from our study group," Michonne supplies.

"Jonah?" Rick frowns as he tries to remember. Once it dawns on him who she is talking about, he asks, "You slept with _him_?"

"I never said I slept with him. I said we dated. You're the only one who has a problem keeping it in his pants." She lifts herself from the floor and moves over to the sofa.

Rick follows her, placing his glass of wine on the coffee table. "Maybe I deserve that comment, but I didn't sleep with every girl you saw me with, you know."

"Just tell me how many more can I expect to pop up out of the woodwork? Does your cousin have more friends that you just happened to have dated?"

"Michonne, I just want to make a fresh start with you if that's possible and if it means anything, I never cheated on Lori and you're the first woman I've been with in over a year. I trust you and I hope you trust me. I just realized that I didn't know about other guys in your life and it made me curious. That's all."

"So if we have this conversation, it's just this once and we leave the past in the past?"

Rick nods, hoping they can get this out in the open and move on from it. They do just that as his curiosity is satisfied about her past relationships and she is put at ease realizing that her husband wasn't as promiscuous as she originally thought. They end the night in each other's arms both content in the knowledge that they are willing to move into their future together.

_Present Day_

Rick is at a loss for words as he watches Michonne march up the stairs to her room and close the door quietly. She just told him that she will be leaving for a business trip later that week. He can't help but think of the convenience of this so called business trip and wonders if it's her way of softening the blow of her decision to leave him.

He finds himself in front of her door, knocking softly. The door opens and he steps in quietly. He watches as she sits down on her bed, facing him. "I don't want you to go. I think you should stay so we can talk about this and work this out."

"I need….I need this break right now. I just need to step away from all of this and give this marriage a lot of thought." She looks up at him. "Have we been fooling ourselves into thinking this was going to work? We got married for the wrong reasons, Rick and to even think about bringing a baby into this….it just feels wrong. We wouldn't be having a baby because we love each other. We'd be having a baby to ensure our financial future and I can't do that."

"I thought you said you wanted to think about it. Sounds like you've already made a decision." His heart rate increases at the thought of losing her.

"Please. Just give me a week and then we'll make a decision," Michonne requests.

A week turns into two as Michonne traveled from Miami, FL where the conference was held to Columbus, GA to her parents' house. She just didn't want to face Rick. She knew she would disappoint him with the answer she arrived at and wanted to prolong it as long as possible. Her parents knew something was off but they didn't press her. She was sure to text Rick to let him know where she was and also to request that he give her more time.

Rick is beside himself with worry but respects her wishes. He wants to give her the time and space she needs but can't help the slight panic he feels at losing her. He realizes above all that he is in love with his wife and he prays he can convince her not to walk away from him.

Week three arrives and Michonne returns to Atlanta only to go straight to her apartment. She spends the day thoroughly cleaning the place, fully expecting to move back in and soon. She is in the bathroom, hovering over the toilet as she became violently ill moments earlier. She finds herself in bed and in and out of sleep as the nauseous continues to rove through her.

The next day, she meets Rick for dinner. She can tell he is caught between anger at not knowing she was back home and relief that he is seeing her after so long.

He hugs her and whispers, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," she returns.

"I'm having a problem believing that," Rick admits.

"I'm sorry things haven't been ideal between us the last couple of weeks, but we can't keep treating this like it doesn't mean anything." She sighs. "Sometimes I wonder why we even did this. Is the money that important?"

"No, it's not and if I need to let it go in order to keep my marriage, then that's what I'm willing to do. I'll give it all up, Michonne….for you….for us. I don't want the money without you in my life."

"I can't ask you to do that. It's your inheritance. Hopefully, you can talk to your parents and they can see a way out of the latest clause for you but I can't and I won't bring a child into this." After a slight pause, she says, "I'll pay you back whatever I can as far as the practice and my student loans, but I think we should end the marriage."

"Just like that? It's over?" Rick asks.

"This was more than I bargained for, Rick. Can't you see that?" Michonne implores.

"I see that I care about you more than you care about me," he returns angrily.

"You know that's not true. I….." she stops as he lifts himself from his chair abruptly.

"Save it. I've heard enough."

Michonne can only watch as Rick walks away.

They both fall back into the routine of their everyday lives. Surprisingly, they continue to talk but only by phone and once the silence grows awkward because they refuse to talk about what they should, they end the conversation.

She remains at her apartment but has yet to remove any of her items from Rick's house. Maggie and Sasha are beside themselves with worry, telling Michonne she is making a mistake by letting Rick go and that they can work out whatever is going on. Her friends' words flit through her mind as she experiences yet another sleepless night, wishing she was laying in the loving arms of her husband.

More time passes and Michonne finds herself at the university where Rick works. She finds him outdoors in the park seated solo on a bench reading.

"Hi."

He looks up at her with surprise, then smiles as he stands and moves toward her to give her a hug. She returns the embrace and inhales his scent as she realizes just how much she has missed him.

"You look great," he compliments.

"Thank you. It's really nice to see you again. I hate to just show up like this, but….can we talk?"

Rick looks to her with concern. "Something wrong?"

Michonne nods. "I guess you could say that. I just don't know where to start."

He pulls her toward the bench where they both take a seat. "If this is about the divorce…."

She shakes her head. "I haven't filed the papers yet because I made a mistake, Rick. I know that now and I hope you can forgive me because I really need you. I'm sorry I was so quick to walk away and I'll understand if you choose to leave things as they are, I just…..everything's happening at the wrong time."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"I'm trying to tell you that I do care about you. I'm trying to tell you that I've missed you more than I ever thought I could miss someone. I'm trying to tell you that I still want the late nights and early mornings in your arms. I'm trying to tell you that I still want your kisses before I go to work every morning. I'm trying to tell you that I want my best friend, my lover, my husband. I'm trying to tell you that I do want a life with you because I'm in love with you."

She watches as a smile forms on her husband's handsome face, his eyes growing lighter.

"Well, it took you long enough to catch on. I've been in love with you for months now and I've been praying every day by some miracle you'd learn to love me too. Can we please put all the nonsense behind us and just be happy and married and in love?"

She nods as her vision blurs with fresh tears. "I'd like that very much, but I have something else to tell you."

He moves in to place a soft kiss to her lips. "It can wait. Let's go home and celebrate."

"This really can't wait, Rick."

"Ok. Whatever it is, the answer is yes."

"I'm pregnant."

Her husband blinks several times before looking directly into her eyes. "What?"

Michonne swallows nervously. "I'm…."

Rick waves his hands to stop her. "I heard you. Are you sure?"

"I just came from the doctor's office," she shares.

She jumps as Rick lets out an excited yelp followed by boisterous laughter. "Rick?"

"Oh babe. Don't you see? All of this was meant to happen. It was never about the fucking money or the inheritance. We're supposed to be together. You had to get pregnant before we even found out about the pregnancy clause, right?"

Michonne thinks back and realizes that he may have a point. She nods as she calculates the time of events. "So you're happy then?"

"More than you'll ever know."

Epilogue: A month later, Rick and Michonne had a traditional church wedding with both of their families present. Michonne was able to resign from her government job and start her practice full time. One month before the baby was born, Rick resigned from the university and opted to be a stay at home dad for the next year. Maggie and Glenn moved in together while Sasha and Daryl became engaged. On the exact due date, Michonne gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Only a matter of days later, Rick Grimes received his full inheritance.


	37. Always You Chapter 37

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Always You (Chapter 37)

**A/N: I received an anon request for Rick to be Michonne's first and it kind of coincides with an idea that I already had, so here goes. I hope you enjoy it.**

Michonne's eyes pop open as the insistent knocking and the doorbell finally break through her fog of slumber. She rubs her eyes vigorously and tosses the comforter aside as she makes her way out of her bedroom and to her front door.

"Who is it?" She asks as she takes a look through the peephole. "Rick?" She immediately removes the chain and unlocks the door quickly.

Rick stands there, waiting to be invited in like he always does, looking downtrodden and very worried. "Hey. Can I come in?"

Michonne grabs his hand and pulls him inside. She glances at the clock and realizes it's 2:30 in the morning. _He drove over an hour to get here and on a week night?_ "Rick, are you ok? What's wrong?"

He turns to face her, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jacket. "I….I messed up, Michonne." He shakes his head sadly, sighing heavily.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me and we'll fix it," she assures him.

"Lori's pregnant and she claims that it's mine," he announces with caution.

Michonne literally steps back feeling as if she has been punched in the stomach. "What?"

"It was one night, 2 or 3 months ago. You had just told me about your plans for law school and…."

Michonne cuts him off. "I don't need the details, Rick. Just tell me you didn't have unprotected sex with her."

"No, of course not. That's where my doubts are coming in. I mean, the condom didn't break so how could I have gotten her pregnant?" He asks.

She looks at him pointedly, wanting, but not wanting that type of information. She accepts it as she and Rick have always been candid with each other. "What are you going to do?"

"I have no idea. That's why I'm here. I need you to tell me what to do," he implores.

She lifts her head to lock eyes with him and the look they share tells her all she needs to know. She walks over to the sofa and sits down heavily, her mind working furiously. She can't fathom Rick Grimes not being in her life or him being with someone else. Through the years, he has been everything to her….a defender, a protector, a friend, a boyfriend, a lover. They have been through ups and downs but somehow they always gravitate back to each other.

She moved away for college two years ago and that first year, they tried the long distance thing but it just didn't work out. They remained friends regardless and she sees him at least twice a month as he still drives up to see her on weekends.

She watches as he joins her on the sofa, taking a hand into one of hers. "I'm really torn right now. Part of me wants you to do the right thing and maybe marry her…." She ignores his sharp intake of breath and continues. "….. but the other part of me wants to be selfish and keep you all to myself."

"Marry her? But what if it's not mine?" Rick asks.

"What if it is? Can you live with the fact that you didn't do right by your child's mother? I know how you are, Rick," Michonne reminds him.

"Then you know how I am about you. It was always you. Ever since we were five. I can't let that go," he declares.

She smiles sadly as the tears begin to well in her eyes. She should be angry, but she can't fault him. They haven't been a couple for months now, but he knew how they were about each other. Now they have to make a decision that is going to alter their lives and possibly the lives of others.

_Three Years Ago_

It was the end of the school year and Rick and Michonne were saying their goodbyes as she was traveling to Columbus to spend the summer with her aunt. She hated missing out on the summer months with him and Shane, but she had been visiting Columbus ever since she could remember and it would break her aunt's heart to forego their tradition. Besides, she always enjoyed herself there, but things just felt different this time around.

Rick had caught the eye of another girl in school and Michonne couldn't help feeling a little possessive. He was her best friend and has had a crush on her since elementary school. She just thought there would always be time for her to make up her mind about him. Two summers ago, they shared their first kiss and it was nice but they never talked about going steady or anything. Now she has to go away and she can feel Lori waiting in the wings until she is temporarily out of the picture.

Her mom appears on the sidewalk in front of their house and motions for her to come home. "Well, I'll see you in a few weeks. I'll call you and probably send a couple of postcards."

Rick nods. "I wish you could just stay one full summer at home. We'd have so much fun."

"I know. I'll talk to my mom and my aunt and maybe we can cut it short this time. It is our last summer before senior year. I might be able to convince them to let me spend some of that time with my friends before we all go off to college," Michonne suggests.

"That would be nice. Well, call me when you get there, ok?"

"I will. I'm gonna miss you," Michonne offers.

"Me, too." He watches as she turns away from him and starts to walk towards her house. He is more than surprised when she rushes back to him, pulls him in for a hug, and kisses him soundly on the cheek. She then takes off running towards her house, waving a hand in the air.

Rick smiles widely and starts praying her stay in Columbus will be cut short this year.

Eight weeks later, Michonne returns home with four weeks left to spare for summer vacation. Rick and Shane are more than happy as they welcome her back. She almost hates to admit it but she has spent the last eight weeks thinking of the possibilities between her and Rick. After all their time as friends, she thinks she is finally ready to give him a chance at being her boyfriend.

She recalls how she was the new kid at school and some other kids tried to pick on her and Rick was there to speak up for her and make the other kids leave her alone. Another little boy liked her but instead of admitting that, he would pull on her afro puffs every day. Rick got into a fist fight with him when he pulled her hair so hard, it made her cry.

She suggests that the three of them go to their favorite restaurant for lunch. They take Shane's car as he has the newest model amongst them. They arrive at the restaurant shortly thereafter and rush inside, ready for their favorite burgers with fries and soda.

Michonne talks about her trip and her plans for senior year as they wait for their food. They also map out some summer activities, making plans to visit a water park a few miles away in another county.

Just then, Lori comes sauntering into the restaurant holding hands with Connor Cresap and makes a beeline straight for their table. She greets them with a smile and asks if they're ready for senior year. They all answer politely and she soon moves on so she and Connor can get a table.

"That girl sure does get around, huh?" Shane says with a laugh.

"Looks that way," Rick agrees as Michonne looks between the two of them.

Their food soon arrives and they all dig in.

A week later, Michonne realizes that she is going to have to be the one to make the move and tell Rick that she is ready to give him a chance at being her boyfriend. It was Friday evening and she was over to his house preparing to watch a movie. His parents left only minutes earlier going on a date so they are alone.

"Do you remember when you told me that you'd like to be my boyfriend?" She asks cautiously.

"Huh? Which time?" Rick asks with a laugh.

She laughs with him. "Ok. So you asked me more than once. Do you want to ask me again?"

Rick stops searching through the DVDs and looks at her. "Are you serious?"

She nods slowly.

He swallows nervously. "Michonne, would you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes."

"Wow! Just like that? What made you change your mind?" He asks.

"Well, this is senior year coming up and I've had plenty of time to think about it. You like me and I like you, so why not?" She returns, trying to make light of her deep feelings for him. "Seal it with a kiss?"

They smile shyly at each other and lean in gently connecting their lips quietly.

The new couple looks forward to Friday nights at Rick's house as his parents usually go out for at least 2 or 3 hours, leaving them all alone.

They are on his bed, making out yet again and Michonne is slowly but surely realizing that Rick has a lot more experience than she originally thought. She is almost mesmerized when he smoothly removes her shirt as he rests atop her, kissing her the entire time. They seem to progress each week but she knows she's not ready to go all the way just yet.

He expertly uses one of his knees to gently part hers and he plants himself in between her thighs with a soft sigh. He continues to kiss her and slowly makes his way to her neck and goes even lower.

Before he can even attempt to remove her bra, she stops him. "We….we better not go too far."

Rick nods even though he is clearly disappointed. He grabs her shirt and hands it to her, watching closely as she puts it on.

"If I ask you something, will you be honest with me?" She asks.

"Of course."

"Are you still a virgin?" Michonne doesn't know what to expect or how she should react with the answer he gives her.

Rick looks at her nervously. "Yes and no."

"What do you mean by that? Either you are or you aren't," she states.

"I've had….some experiences but I haven't gone all the way yet," he admits.

"Experiences…..with who? Lori?"

He nods slowly. "I thought she was interested in me and I just happened to tell Shane about her and he kindly let me know that she was making out with him too."

"So, are you done with her?"

"I have a girlfriend now and you're all I've ever wanted. I'm completely done with her," Rick offers.

Several weeks later, school is well underway and the couple is going strong. They are both active in football season as Rick is on the football team and Michonne is a cheerleader. The county fair is also a huge deal in their hometown so she and Rick make a date of it. Shane insisted on meeting them there, so Michonne invited her friend, Sasha.

Later than night, Rick and Michonne are making out in the backseat of his car and she can't help thinking that she may be ready to finally go all the way. He is cradled between her thighs, rocking against her gently. She can feel him as she starts to mimic his movements. It's like her body has a mind of its own and her feelings are overwhelming her.

A sudden and sharp sensation hits her core and she tries to scramble away, but there is nowhere to go and Rick is still right there bumping against her and intensifying whatever is happening. She breaks their kiss with a startled gasp.

"What…oh….oh…." She closes her eyes as her body seems to be suspended in time and she starts to quiver all over.

He stiffens against her and releases a soft strangled cry as he goes limp on top of her. His ragged breathing matches hers as they try to recover from what they just experienced.

"Was that what an orgasm feels like?" She asks cautiously.

"Well, I can't speak for you, but hell yeah for me," Rick answers with a smile.

"But we didn't have sex. Is that the feeling we'll have if we have sex?"

"I think it would be way more intense if we actually had sex," he returns.

She pulls him in for another kiss as she starts rocking against him once again. He obliges willingly, but lets her know that their first time would not be in the back of his car.

Michonne is now on a mission. She is hoping Rick's parents will have another date night on Friday so she and Rick can finally be together in the most intimate way. Luck is on her side as her parents who never go anywhere decide to visit her dad's brother in South Carolina because he is having surgery. They plan to leave on Wednesday and won't return until Saturday.

Her parents spoke with Rick's parents and asked if they'd keep an eye on their daughter as she would be home alone. Michonne also told them that she'd have Sasha over to spend a night or two to put their minds at ease even further.

She and Rick hold out on Wednesday night and make plans for Thursday. They both forego football and cheerleading practice despite the consequences and drive straight to their neighborhood from school. His parents won't be home from work until almost 6 and that leaves them plenty of uninterrupted time. He parks his car in the driveway of his house and they walk the short distance to Michonne's house.

They make their way upstairs to her room where Rick closes and secures the door before he joins her by her bed. He is beyond nervous as he can't believe this moment is actually happening between them. He wants to take his time and go slow since his talks with Shane informed him that the first time for a girl is usually painful.

They smile shyly at each other as they start to undress. They strip down to their underwear, then climb into bed, covering themselves with the soft, downy comforter.

Rick moves closer to her and starts to kiss her softly. He places a hand at her waist while the other hand splays across her upper back.

She returns his affection, wrapping her arms around his neck, anticipating what is to come. She has talked with Sasha and even overheard conversations between other girls in the locker room who are sexually active. She knows what to expect and is really nervous about it but she is willing to do anything to show Rick how much she loves him. _Wow! Love him?_

He kisses his way down her body, slowly removing her bra and looking down at her nude breasts with awe. He cups them gently and lowers his head as he kisses around her nipple before latching on, assured to show attention to one and then the other.

Michonne gasps as he has always caressed her there and even mouthed her through her bra, but the actual contact of his lips and tongue on her naked flesh is making her eyes roll back in her head. She watches as he moves from one breast to the other then hooks his fingers in her panties and pulls them downward.

He leaves the bed for only a moment as he retrieves his pants and grabs a condom. He removes his boxers and proceeds to sheathe his member with the latex protection before making his way to her side again.

She can't help glancing at his anatomy and wondering if this is going to work between them. They start to kiss and caress each other once more as Rick stealthily slides between her thighs. He fingers her gently ensuring that she is ready, then takes hold of himself and slowly starts to push inside.

She can feel him as he enters her and closes her eyes, trying not to tense in anticipation of the pain. Her rapid heartbeat and breathing match his as he continues to inch forward. She groans quietly as he advances and then stops as if he is stuck.

He looks down at her, knowing he has encountered the part of her anatomy that will cause her pain. "It's ok. I promise."

She takes a moment, breathing in deeply and nods with a slow exhale.

He pushes in with a little more force, breaking through as he hears her hiss and moan with pain while digging her nails into his arms. He stops all movement immediately, anything to make this as painless as possible. He rests his forehead against her shoulder, reining in control of his body. After a few seconds, he lifts his head and looks into her eyes.

A tear trickles down slowly from one of her eyes and he almost bolts but she holds on tightly.

"That really hurt, but I think I'm ok now," she offers.

"Are you sure?"

She rocks her hips in an upward motion, gasping as all the pain hasn't gone away but it is bearable. "Let's make love." She moves a hand up to the nape of his neck and pulls him down for a kiss.

He returns her kiss eagerly and begins to move with her, enjoying the feel of her core surrounding him snugly, tightly as he fills her. He prays he can hold out and give her an orgasm but his body is slowly betraying him as he can feel a tightness accumulating in his groin.

They continue to rock together, kissing and caressing in between raspy breaths and moans. He groans loudly with pleasure and frustration as his body stiffens with release. He can feel himself pulsate and vibrate inside her and knows she did not reach fulfillment. He refuses to give up as he continues to move. He brings a hand to one of her breasts and fingers her nipple, hoping it will help her reach completion.

The sensations coursing through her body are beyond pleasurable as she continues to meet him thrust for thrust. Her eyes roll back in her head and she arches her back off the bed as Rick pushes in then out continuously prolonging her orgasm.

She drops back to the bed, looking up at him with love struck eyes. She smiles widely. "Wow! Now I wish we hadn't waited so long."

Rick gives a small laugh as he moves over to her side, beyond happy that she is satisfied. "That was…. beyond anything I ever imagined. I've never felt this way before." He swallows nervously. "I love you, Michonne. I really love you."

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed that as this is my Christmas present to all you awesome readers out there. Thank you so much for all of your support. There will be a Part II but I really want some feedback on their current situation with Lori. **


	38. Always You Part II Chapter 38

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Always You Part II (Chapter 38)

_Present Day_

Rick and Michonne look at each other as Shane bursts out laughing once he hears their news.

"Shane, this is anything but funny," Michonne reminds him. "This is serious. We have to figure out a way to help him."

Shane walks into the kitchen area of his apartment and grabs a beer. He takes a long drag before he places it on the counter and looks to his friends. "I know exactly how to help him. It ain't your baby, man."

Rick sits up with interest. "How would you know that?"

"Cause she came to me with the same song and dance and I sent her ass packing. Guess she figured you're more of a sucker than I am. And speaking of sucker, you wanna tell me how you wound up in her bed in the first place?" Shane inquires as he steals a quick glance to gauge Michonne's expression. He knows she still loves Rick and he wonders if his best friend has fucked up enough to lose her.

Rick drops his eyes with a sigh. "It was the stupidest thing I ever did but I…I don't know. I wanted to know if I could be with somebody else. If I could move on if it came to that."

Michonne swallows nervously and tries not to allow her anger to show. "I think you should just shut up about that. We'll discuss it later. Right now, you need to figure out what you're going to do about this child."

"Hell, Michonne…that baby could be anybody's…." Shane starts.

"Including yours or Rick's," Michonne supplies as she interrupts Shane. She looks pointedly at her ex-boyfriend. "I need to know so I can figure out whether or not _I_ should move on."

Rick's mouth drops open but before he can make a comment, Shane does.

"Hey. None of that now. You two are not going to let this come between you. Y'all know Lori ain't worth that. Look, we just need to get a DNA test."

"I don't know if I can go through all those months to wait for a test," Rick admits.

"If that's what it takes, then that's what you'll do," Michonne returns.

Rick looks to the ceiling, wondering what happened to the sweet and understanding Michonne when he first told her about this. _I guess she's had time to really think about it and now she's angry. Shit._ They haven't had a serious talk about them so he hopes that will come soon. He needs to know that he still has her no matter what.

"There might be a way to find out before the baby's born. I used to date a chick who's in medical school to be a baby doctor. Maybe she would know what we need to do," Shane offers.

Turns out that Shane's ex had a bevy of information for them. She was all too willing to share as long as Shane treated her to dinner. He brought Rick and Michonne along, teasing them that it was a double date.

They learned that it is possible to determine paternity prior to the child's birth. The procedure is costly, invasive and has been known to cause miscarriage in some instances. Rick and Michonne share a look, wondering if they can ask Lori to take such a chance with her child's life. Shane has no such qualms as he just wants to know the truth.

Despite the circumstances, they enjoy the push and pull between Shane and his ex-girlfriend, Danielle, and wonder why they broke up. Rick reaches underneath the table, grasping one of Michonne's hands, giving her a tentative smile which she slowly returns.

Before they part ways for the night, Shane lets them know that he will set up a meeting with Lori to see if she will be receptive to a DNA test. Rick and Michonne thank him and Danielle for all their help, then bid them good night and exit the restaurant.

They opted to drive back to Atlanta as Michonne didn't want to see her parents right then. She knew they'd detect that something was bothering her and she didn't want to make any explanations. Rick understands as his parents are just as perceptive which is why he was planning to get a place of his own in the coming months.

"Can I ask you something?" Rick wants to know.

"Sure," she returns.

"Finding out if this child is mine or not…..are the results going to be the deciding factor on us getting back together?"

"Is that what you want? For us to get back together?" She asks.

"You already know the answer to that question," he answers.

She drops her gaze before turning her head to look out of her window into the darkness of the highway and the surrounding woods. Driving on highway 49 out of King's County at night always scared her but she hadn't even thought about it and she knows why. Rick is driving. If she were alone, she'd be eating candy and singing along to an outrageous rap or heavy metal song to distract herself.

She wants to get back with Rick more than anything. She thought that's where they were headed before he dropped this bomb on her. Now she can't help but wonder if she'd be a fool to take him back with possible parenthood looming in his future.

They arrive at her apartment, the silence between them still palpable.

"Are you staying?" She asks.

"I think we should talk. Don't you?" He asks.

"So talk," she says as she moves to the sofa and takes a seat.

"I need something from you first," Rick tells her quietly.

"Ok."

"Do you love me?" He asks.

"Yes. Yes, I do," she answers.

"Then why does anything else matter? Why does it matter that we're only sophomores in college or that we're living in different cities right now? If you love me, then why aren't we together? I need to know here and now if you're going to stick with me through this." Rick seems almost desperate.

"If I fucked someone else and became pregnant, would you stick with me?" Michonne asks.

"How could you…..? I did not cheat on you. I…"

"Well, that's what it feels like. And with Lori of all people. I guess she was just too easy, right?" Sarcasm drips heavily from her statement.

"As a matter of fact, she was easy. I've always known that she was just waiting for another chance. If I ever got serious about her, I'd know exactly where I stand with her," Rick returns.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Michonne demands. "You know where you stand with me."

"What I know…..is that I've always loved you more than you love me."

She gasps, then stands to face him. "How can you even say something like that? I love you! I've _always_ loved you!"

"Then why turn down my proposal?"

Michonne sighs heavily. "Rick, don't start that please. We're in the middle of college. My parents are still paying my bills, my car note. You still live with your parents, so…."

"None of that should make a difference if we love each other," Rick professes.

"Can we just deal with one issue at a time?"

"I can deal with anything as long as I know we're going to do it together," he tells her emphatically.

"I'm not going anywhere. I've always been here for you. Nothing's going to change that," she assures him.

"So be with me in all ways. We can still finish school. We can still do all the things we've set out to do," Rick states.

"How? I'm here, you're there. We won't even see each other every day," she returns.

"What if that changed? What if I came here to Atlanta to finish school?"

"Huh? How are you gonna do that?" She asks.

"I've been thinking about this for a while. I know I said I was gonna go to the police academy and join the Sheriff's Department, but I'm starting to think Atlanta PD would look better on my resume if I'm going to apply to the FBI," he tells her.

She looks to him in total surprise. "Wait. The FBI? Really Rick? Is that what you really wanna do? I don't want you changing anything for me. This has to be what _you_ want. Otherwise it won't work."

"Weren't you listening? I said I've been thinking about this for a while and this is what I want. I can talk to admissions here and see about transferring. Hopefully, the credits at the junior college will count for something and I can finish up here..…with you."

"So you're serious? Really serious?" She gives him a hopeful look.

"Did you ever doubt me?"

She practically jumps into his arms she is so happy. "This is really good news." She pulls back to look into his eyes. "Yes. Yes to all of it."

They hug each other again and Michonne can't help but feel that everything is going to work out for them.

"You know you never answered my question," she reminds him.

"What question?"

"Would you stay with me if I got pregnant by someone else?"

He gives her a pointed look, sighs deeply, and answers, "Yes. I'd be mad as hell and probably want to kill the guy but I love you and I wanna be with you. That's all that matters to me."

Michonne wants to call bullshit so badly, but she smiles and kisses him before she blurts it out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you kidding me?" Sasha asks, her drink poised in mid-air as she can't believe what her best friend just relayed to her.

Michonne decided to meet Sasha for lunch and she couldn't help telling her about the situation and her plans with Rick. She also values her friend's opinion but wonders at the wisdom of sharing her relationship highs and lows as Sasha's expression is anything but happy. "No, I'm not kidding."

"Let me get this straight. He goes off and sleeps with someone else, gets her pregnant….."

"He doesn't know if the baby is his or not," Michonne inserts.

"Ok, whatever. The fact remains that he could possibly be this baby's father and you're seriously going to marry him…_now_?" Sasha asks.

"We're going to find out if the baby is his or not and yes, I'm going to marry him because I love him," Michonne returns, feeling a little exposed because she wasn't expecting this reaction.

"He practically cheated on you and you're going to reward him for that?" Sasha places her glass on the table with a sound thump and tries to understand her friend's thought process.

"I thought you would understand. Rick and I have been together for ages it seems. He's it for me so why not get married?"

"Why not? For one, you're both still in school, he's living with his parents, neither of you are gainfully employed right now so where are you gonna live, and most of all, what if this baby is his? Are you going to help him raise it?" Sasha watches as those words sink in and Michonne's expression goes from hopeful to doubtful. "Let's not forget _who_ he slept with. She's been after him for the longest and how do you know this hasn't been going on for a while with them? He just got _caught_ this time."

"Rick wouldn't lie to me, Sasha," Michonne states.

"All I'm saying is don't be a fool, Michonne. Rick ain't as innocent as you make him out to be. He is best friends with Shane Walsh, you know."

"That doesn't mean that he does what Shane does," Michonne returns.

"Birds of a feather flock together," Sasha mocks.

"Why are you saying stuff like this now? You've always liked Rick."

"Yeah, coz I always thought he was a stand up type of guy, but if he slept with Lori knowing the type of person she is, what does that say about him?" Sasha probes.

"It says he's a stand up type of guy who made a mistake. We weren't together when it happened so he didn't cheat on me." She swallows nervously before looking her friend in the eye. "Do you think I should just….walk away?"

Sasha scoffs. "No. You should run."

Meanwhile, Rick is sitting in the lobby of the law offices of Michonne's Dad, waiting to see him. He can't believe how nervous he is as he wipes his sweaty palms against his jean clad thighs. He just wants this to go as smooth as possible and he can't help thinking that this will be anything but.

Ms. Patricia, the legal assistant, takes a call and smiles at Rick as she returns the phone to its cradle, pushes her chair back, and stands. "You can go on in now, Rick and remember he only has a 30 minute window ok?"

Rick nods, stepping to the door as Ms. Patricia opens it. She gestures for him to go inside, then closes the door with a smile. He looks around curiously only having been there once or twice before with Michonne. He remembers how spacious the office was, how neat and organized. He wonders if Michonne will have an office like this one someday or…..

"Rick. Good to see you son. How are you?" Michonne's Dad, Walter, inquires jovially.

Rick breaks from his reverie at the sound of Mr. Walter's voice. "Thank you…..for seeing me. I know how busy you are, so…..thank you…and I'm doing ok."

Walter picks up on Rick's nervousness immediately and wonders what could have him in this state. "Well, sit down and tell me what I can do for you."

"I'd rather stand if that's ok," Rick requests.

Walter nods as he remains seated and looks to Rick to start the conversation.

The younger man takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. "I….I'm in love with your daughter and I want to marry her."

Walter drops his steepled hands to his desk. "What did you just say?"

Rick swallows nervously. "I said I'm in love…."

"I heard you. I heard you. Give me a moment." Walter breathes in deeply, looking Rick over slowly. "Am I to take it she said yes and that's why you're here?"

Rick nods. "She said yes but I….I wanted your blessing and your permission…..sir."

Walter frowns but can't help feeling proud and admiring Rick for having the courage to come to him like this. He remembers him as a young boy, always smiling, always considerate, and always protective of Michonne. "Well, now…let me consider this….is this just an engagement or are you two planning to get married right away?"

"Well, as soon as possible," Rick supplies.

"I see. Is there a reason for this rush?" Walter asks with suspicion.

"No. No reason. We're just in love and we want to get married," Rick returns.

"Is my daughter pregnant?"

Rick gasps. "What? No. No, sir. Of course not."

"Well, I'll ask again. What's the hurry?"

Rick sighs with nervousness and impatience. "She….she said yes this time. I need to make it happen before she changes her mind."

Walter laughs at the naivety of today's youth. _Does he even know what he'll be getting into?_ "Is there a reason she would change her mind?"

Rick freezes and looks to Walter as if the older man can see right through to his soul. "Yes and no." He quickly deflates and hurriedly takes a seat as his legs are shaking and he feels they won't hold him up much longer.

"You had lunch yet, son?"

All Rick can manage is a negative shake of his head.

"Come on. You look like you need somebody to talk to. Let's get something to eat and have at it, ok?" He picks up the phone and asks Patricia to clear his calendar for the day.

Rick looks on in awe as he can't believe Mr. Walter is taking time out for him like this. He gives a tentative smile as the older man grabs his suit jacket and puts it on as he ushers him out of the office.

An hour later over a bountiful lunch of fried chicken, black eye peas, collard greens, macaroni and cheese and corn bread, Walter knows everything including Rick's ambition to join the FBI in the future and his possible parentage.

"And she still agreed to marry you knowing about this child?" Walter asks.

With Rick's nod, the older man sits back and looks at the younger man like he has never seen him before. He realizes that his daughter and this young man of hers are possibly more mature than he gave them credit for. He also can't help but realize that they truly love each other.

"Well, son….you have certainly earned my respect for coming to me man to man like this and asking for permission to marry my daughter. I also admire you for being honest with me. I don't know if I would've admitted that I might have a child on the way. Anyway, my answer is yes. I've watched you through the years and one thing that has been a constant with you is Michonne."

Rick relaxes with relief. He smiles widely at Walter. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Oh, it ain't as easy as that now. You're gonna have to talk with Mae as well and what do your parents think of all this?"

"I haven't talked to them yet," Rick admits.

Walter laughs as he takes a sip of sweet tea. "This is getting more interesting by the minute. I think it's time for one of those family dinners we used to have. Remember those?"

Rick nods, remembering those times all too well and quietly thanking Walter for indirectly offering to be a buffer between him and his parents. Probably Ms. Mae too. For some reason, he feels he's going to need it.

He didn't think he was going to need one with Michonne though. Hours later, he is sitting at the dining room table at her apartment, relaying his conversation with her dad.

"You did what?!" She demands.

"It's ok. We had a really good talk and he gave us his blessing and I told him all about this baby thing and…." He trails off as Michonne covers her face with her hands and groans loudly.

"Why would you do that? They're never going to let us get married now," she states with a little fear. "Dad is going to tell Mom and she's just going to tell Ms. Gladys and then your Dad will know and it's just gonna…..be…awful."

"Your Dad assured me he wouldn't say anything until Sunday. We'll talk to them then and…."

"Sunday? What's so important about Sunday?" She asks cautiously.

"Your Dad's planning a family dinner. You know how we used to have after church?" Rick reminds her.

"Church and dinner? So we're going to have to tell them everything all together?" She swallows visibly with Rick's slow nod then closes her eyes in an effort to calm her nerves.

"Babe, it's going to be ok. I know it is," Rick assures.

She opens her eyes and looks directly into his. "Well, it's always best to find the positive in every situation, right? By the time they all agree to this, you'll have saved up enough money to buy me the biggest rock King's County has ever seen."


	39. Always You Part III Chapter 39

Richonne (Short Love Stories) Always You Part III (Chapter 39)

The meeting Shane arranged with Lori went well as she accepted the offer of money to have the test done to determine the parentage of the child. Shane knew the draw of money would get her and he couldn't wait to tell Rick and Michonne the news. He also enlisted Danielle's help in finding a clinic that would administer the test. Everything was set in motion to take place in one week. The three friends made plans to be there together.

Meanwhile, Sunday has arrived and Rick and Michonne are seated in church with their parents. Both are nervous as they aren't sure if Ms. Mae, Ms. Gladys, and Arthur are aware of what is going on. Neither sets of parents appear to be treating them any differently so they both surmise that Walter has kept quiet. The young couple grasp hands as they continue to listen to the choir sing.

Hours later, they are seated around the dinner table at Michonne's parents' house. The elders are jovial as usual and talking about the latest community news. Michonne and Rick sit side by side quietly and a bit somberly as they listen.

"You two sure are quiet tonight. Something going on with school?" Arthur asks.

"Not quite," Rick returns as he decides to just get it over with. He looks to his girlfriend before returning his fork to his plate and giving his full attention to his parents and hers. "I…..I asked Michonne to marry me and she said yes."

There is a stunned silence before Ms. Mae, Ms. Gladys, and Arthur all start speaking at once. Walter manages to calm them down when he requests that the kids be heard.

"We can't listen to this. They're still in college. They can't get married now," Ms. Mae tells her husband.

"Exactly. They're too young. It's just too soon," Ms. Gladys agrees.

"Son, you're just starting out. You don't even have your own place yet. How are you even thinking about something as serious as marriage?" Arthur inserts, then gives his son a serious scowl. "Unless you're telling us you _have_ to get married."

"My daughter is not pregnant if that's what you're thinking," Walter supplies.

"How would you know? What other reason could there be?" Ms. Mae panics as she turns to her daughter. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Mom, I'm not pregnant. Rick and I are in love. We've been in love for a while now and we just don't see why we should wait to be married when we feel the way we do," Michonne states.

"Well, if you feel this way now, how do you know you won't feel this way when you're done with college?" Ms. Gladys inquires. "What's wrong with waiting?"

"Why do we have to wait?" Rick asks.

"Do I have to give you a list?" Ms. Gladys states with a huff. "It's not happening. Not right now and that's final. End of discussion."

"But what about what we want? Shouldn't that be taken into consideration?" Rick counters.

"You're too young to know what you want. We've been where you are and we're telling you getting married now would be a mistake," Ms. Mae suggests.

"But how will we know it's a mistake if we don't do it?" Michonne wonders. "What if it's the right thing for us?"

Her mother gives her a contemplative look but doesn't have a retort.

"I already gave them my blessing, but I told them they had to talk to all of us," Walter tells them.

"You did what?" Ms. Mae exclaims. "How could you do that?"

"Because….if you'll just take a moment and think about the history between these two, they've always been there for each other. I think if it was something frivolous that would've been proven during these last two years since they've been living in different cities. Their feelings haven't changed. Also, they're going through something right now that would test any bond, but they're staying together. They're facing it together. That shows love, respect, and maturity. Rick came to my office to ask permission to marry my daughter and he didn't hold anything back. I'd be proud to have him as my son-in-law." Walter smiles at the young couple and gives them a nod.

Arthur, Ms. Gladys, and Ms. Mae remain silent as they all contemplate Walter's words.

"Well, where would you live? Would you get married and continue to live in different cities? How could that possibly work?" Ms. Gladys wants to know.

Rick gives a small sigh of relief. His mother's questions let him know that she was at least considering it. He starts to tell them about his plans to transfer so he and Michonne can live together and finish college together. He also relays his career plans and ambitions.

"That all sounds great, but how would you support yourselves? Will you be able to work _and_ go to school?" Ms. Mae wants to know.

Michonne starts to speak but her dad stops her.

"We're already paying for everything so I don't see why that should stop just because they're getting married. I'm willing to support them until they finish college and then they're on their own. My continuous wedding gift so to speak," Walter laughs.

"But Daddy, we're willing to work. We'll do whatever it takes," Michonne interjects.

"Right. I'm going to be able to support her no matter what," Rick states.

"I don't doubt you son, but nothing's wrong with a little help. My parents helped me and I'm in a position to do this, so let me," Walter returns.

"You won't shoulder it alone, Walter. That wouldn't be fair. We'll do our part as well, "Arthur adds.

Ms. Gladys sighs. "I'm still not 100% sure about this. Can you give yourselves at least 6 months and just think it over?"

"That's fine mom, but I'm moving to Atlanta as soon as possible so if you're ok with us just living together….." Rick trails off as his mother gasps and eyes him sternly.

"Weddings take time to plan, so 6 months is not unreasonable," Ms. Gladys returns reluctantly.

"We'll just go to the justice of the peace," Michonne suggests.

Ms. Mae gasps and tosses her napkin on the table. "There is no way you two will go to the justice of the peace like you're in some sordid Lifetime Movie."

Rick and Michonne glance at each other then look to Ms. Mae. They both know if their mothers are on board, then everything would be a go.

"Well….I have always thought lavender was the perfect color for a wedding,"Ms. Mae admits.

"There's one other thing you all should know before we start making any plans," Rick begins.

Michonne sighs as her boyfriend reaches for her hand. She is going to support him no matter what but sometimes she wishes he would choose when to be open and honest and right now is just not the time. They were making leeway with their parents and this would probably only push them back to step one. All she can do is brace herself for the impact.

"There is a chance that I might be a father," Rick announces with a slight cringe. He is met with questioning eyes as Michonne squeezes his hand.

"I knew it! What other reason would you two have to get married this soon and why would you lie about it? If Michonne is pregnant…." Ms. Mae stops as the words "Michonne's not pregnant" drift to her yet again.

"I'm not understanding. You just said you might be a father and now you say Michonne's not pregnant?" Arthur asks.

"No, it's not Michonne," Rick admits.

"Wait one moment. Let me get this straight. You want to marry my daughter but you're having a child with someone else? That can't be right," Ms. Mae states.

"I know that's not what you mean, Richard. It can't be," Ms. Gladys chimes in.

Rick cringes again as his mom calls him Richard. She only uses his full name when she is truly upset.

"Well, I'm still not understanding!" Arthur shouts. "What is really going on here son? Who is this other girl?"

"It's…Lori," Rick answers.

"That Petersen girl?" Arthur asks then sighs in frustration. "Well if that's the case it appears to me you're marrying the wrong girl."

Michonne gasps at Rick's father's comment as her father comes to her defense and a slight disagreement ensues. All they can do is sit back and watch as their parents go back and forth, both feeling a bit despondent as they are the cause of the ruckus. They eventually leave the house unnoticed and walk around the neighborhood, arriving at the nearby community park.

They both sit on the swing set side by side and ponder if they are doing the right thing.

"Maybe we should just tell them we'll wait. It'll make things easier," Michonne suggests.

"Yeah, but I can't help thinking that it wouldn't be worth anything if we didn't have to fight for it….if it wasn't going to be difficult," Rick returns. "I love you. That's all that matters to me right now."

"I love you, too." She drops her head as she feels the tears well up in her eyes. "I just don't want them upset with us. Maybe we just should've eloped."

"So you'd run away just to marry me?" Rick asks with a slight smile.

She looks up at him, wiping her tears away. "In a heartbeat."

Rick stands as he pulls her into his arms to comfort her. "It's going to be ok. At least your dad doesn't think we're doing the wrong thing."

All she can do is cling to him tighter as she wonders if things will really be ok for them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They meet Shane and Lori at the clinic on a Thursday afternoon and walk in together. Rick, Michonne, and Shane sit quietly in the waiting room while Lori is escorted to an examination room after completing some paperwork. Shane offers to go with her, but she declines. Michonne thought she would feel awkward but surprisingly she doesn't. She feels calm for some strange reason especially knowing that there is a possibility of Rick being the child's father. She looks over at him, taking in his nervousness and wishes there was some way to make this all better for him.

A little over thirty minutes later, a nurse walks into the waiting room and asks Shane to accompany her. Rick and Michonne share a look, wondering what could be happening. Soon, Shane walks out with a clearly agitated Lori.

The latter takes one look at Rick, tears filling her eyes as she drops her head with shame.

"What's going on?" Rick asks cautiously.

Shane tries not to smirk but clearly can't help himself. "Do you want to tell him or should I?"

Lori shakes her head, finding it difficult to speak.

"Apparently, you have to be a certain amount of weeks for this test. Lori here is way past that cut off time which means the baby can't be yours. As a matter of fact, I'd guess she was pregnant when you two got together."

"What?" Rick inquires, his heart beating racing as he comprehends the truth.

"The baby ain't yours," Shane confirms.

Rick is not sure why but he needs to hear Lori say those exact words. "Lori?"

The tall brunette lifts her head and looks to Michonne and then Rick. "Shane's right. According to these people here, I'm too far along for this baby to be yours but I didn't set out to fool you. I really thought you could be the father."

"Well, how far along are you?" Michonne asks.

"Almost 19 weeks which is about 5 months. I just…I didn't know," Lori admits.

"Do you know who the father is?" Michonne wonders, a little concerned.

Lori can't help but look to Shane. "I think I have an idea but we'll probably need to get a DNA test once the baby's born."

Shane is not even bothered. He knows Lori is going to cling to him like never before now but he's willing to endure it just knowing that Rick didn't make the biggest mistake of his life. "Come on, man. Let's go celebrate! How about a cheeseburger?"

Michonne looks over at a saddened Lori and is truly torn between being ecstatic that Rick is not the father and remorseful because of Lori's situation. "I don't think now is the best time Shane." She walks over to Lori and gives her a tentative smile. "Hey. It'll be ok. I mean you do have an idea of who the dad is, so that's comforting."

"I…..I guess so. It's between Shane and this other guy. I know it is," Lori states. She and Michonne move off together, exiting the clinic as Shane and Rick look on, both astounded at how giving and selfless Michonne truly is.

Shane turns to his friend. "Man you better marry her quick. You hit the jackpot with Michonne. I sure wish she had a sister."

The four of them visit a popular fast food restaurant where Lori reveals who the other guy is and her plans to tell him he might be a father. Michonne encouraged her to truly find out who the father is as her baby deserves to know both of his or her parents.

An hour later, Rick and Michonne are driving back to her apartment. He reaches over and grabs one of her hands with his free one, keeping his eyes on the road.

"You ok?" He asks.

"Yeah. Just thinking," she answers.

"About what?"

"Us….getting married."

He frowns. "You're not changing your mind, are you?"

"No." She pauses. "I was just thinking….we're of age. We don't need our parents' permission. Why don't we go and apply for the license tomorrow? I don't know if there's a waiting period but once we get the license we can just go to the justice of the peace."

He steals a glance at her. "Are you serious?"

"I am."

"But what about your mom? She was adamant about _not_ going to the justice of the peace," Rick reminds her.

"Rick, she doesn't even want us to get married…."

"Maybe she'll change her mind once she finds out the baby's not mine."

"Ok. We'll tell them about the baby right after we announce that we're married," Michonne determines.

Rick sighs, second guessing himself for only a moment.

"I thought this was what you wanted."

He looks over at her again, taking in her beauty despite the darkened interior. "It is….more than anythang."

"So what are you afraid of?"

He laughs. "Nothing….with you by my side."

Michonne laughs with him as she leans over and kisses him soundly on the cheek. "We're getting married."

"We're getting married," he repeats.

The next day, Rick skips two classes so he can drive to Atlanta, pick up Michonne and go downtown to the courthouse. They wait in line patiently and finally get their turn at the clerk's window. They inform him of their purpose and are asked to provide two forms of identification. They both use their driver's licenses and school ID badges. After the fees are paid and documents signed, the clerk asks them if they were planning to get married that day.

Rick and Michonne look at each other with surprise.

"We can get married today?" Rick asks.

"Yeah, Judge Lofton is presiding until 4:30. So what's it going to be?" The clerk asks with disinterest.

A simultaneous "yes" is given as Rick and Michonne grasp hands, practically beaming at each other.

They watch as the clerk picks up the phone and moments later tells them they can be married by the judge in one hour.

"Do you have a witness?" The clerk queries.

"Do we need one?" Rick wonders.

"Not particularly. The court clerk can sign your marriage license. Some folks just like friends or family to witness, but it's not necessary."

Rick nods and thanks the clerk as Michonne pulls out her cell and dials Sasha's number. She didn't reach her so she opted to send her a text instead. She then looks down at her jeans and sandals and Rick's jeans and sneakers and realizes her mother is going to be livid. Ms. Gladys too most likely but at that very moment, she could care less. She surmises to deal with the consequences later.

Rick gasps and says, "We don't have any rings. How can we get married without rings?"

Michonne can't help but gape as she hadn't considered that at all. An idea is formed immediately and she grabs his hand. "Come on."

They walk to a nearby jewelry store and Michonne uses a credit card to purchase his and hers silver wedding bands. Rick decides to protest but after a stern look from her, he let it go.

A little over forty minutes later they are standing before a Judge awaiting to become husband and wife as the court clerk stands in as a witness. Just as the judge was about to begin, the court doors burst open and Sasha rushes in wildly.

Michonne squeezes Rick's hand as she smiles at her friend. She didn't think Sasha would care enough to show up since she didn't approve of the marriage but she is so glad to have her there.

"Sorry. So sorry. I'm the…the witness," Sasha explains breathlessly.

The Judge frowns but allows her to stand next to Michonne as he prepares to begin again.

Everything happens in a whirlwind as Michonne hears Rick say "I do" and she is asked to repeat those words. They exchange rings and the Judge gives Rick permission to salute his bride. She knows it's real when she hears the announcement of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Grimes.

Rick holds onto their documents as Sasha and Michonne hug and cry on the steps of the courthouse.

"Thank you so much for coming," Michonne tells her.

"I almost didn't, but I couldn't miss this. I guess I didn't realize how serious you were until I got that text," Sasha explains. She looks to Rick and then back at Michonne. "Congratulations."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it Sasha," Michonne says.

"Hey. What are best friends for, right?" Sasha pushes her toward her new husband. "Come on. Let me get some pictures of you two."

Michonne gasps yet again, completely forgetting to try and commemorate this day in every way possible. She hugs and kisses Rick before the two of them start posing for Sasha.

Much later, the newlyweds are giggling as they stand in front of the door to Michonne's apartment and Rick swings her up into his arms to carry her over the threshold. He walks inside carefully and deposits her feet first onto the floor. He leans in and kisses her ever so gently before dropping his forehead to hers.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Grimes," he tells her with a smile.

**Epilogue**: The marriage was accepted well by Walter and Ms. Gladys, but Arthur and Ms. Mae were much tougher to win over even after the news of Rick not being the father of another girl's child. Rick moved to Atlanta as soon as possible after transferring from one school to the other. He also took a job with campus security on a part time basis. Michonne took a job as a part time runner for a prestigious law firm. She and Sasha remain best friends as do Rick and Shane. Lori Petersen told her ex-boyfriend, Phillip Blake, about her pregnancy and he immediately offered to marry her. She conveniently left off the fact that another man could possibly be the father of her child.


	40. The Other Side of Love Chapter 40

Richonne (Short Love Stories) The Other Side of Love (Chapter 40)

Michonne slowly lowers the newspaper to her desk, her mind taking her to a place she never wants to go. As of late, she can't help it. The onslaught of Atlanta Police Department officers being shot and killed is growing and she can't help but be concerned for her husband who has been on the force for the past two years. She immediately decides to distract herself so she moves over to her computer. The first news story to pop up is the most recent police fatality in Atlanta. _They're making national news now_. She sighs heavily, not wanting to burden Rick even more with her worries. She immediately clicks out of the news site and accesses work related software to take her mind off the danger her husband puts himself in every day.

They have been living in Atlanta for the last four years and all has been going well. Rick is following his career path almost to the letter and she hasn't veered too far from the path she set for herself. She actually wanted to go back to their hometown of Kings County and set up a private practice but her father convinced her she'd be better off getting some much needed experience first. She worked one full year at a law office in the downtown area before landing a job with the state's Attorney General. They have both been quite content with the life they've carved out for themselves.

Her cell phone rings and she immediately grabs it checking the ID. It's Rick. Her relief is palpable as she takes a deep breath before answering.

"Hey babe."

"Hey. I just wanted to call and let you know I may be a little late tonight. The chief is calling another special meeting…probably to address these shootings again. I'll come home as soon as it's over," Rick relays.

"Oh, ok. Well, I'll see you when you get there. Love you," she returns softly.

He doesn't detect the caution in her voice as he is in his squad car, the background noise diverting his attention. "I love you too. Bye."

"Bye." She holds her cell in her hand, wishing the bad thoughts away.

Later that night, she takes in the solace of the house, grateful that this doesn't happen as often as it could. Rick is busy but he continues to make her the number one priority in his life. She does the same for him, a pact that has always gone unspoken between them as they are both ambitious and career oriented.

She looks at the bedside clock and notes the hour, grabbing the remote to power on the TV. She finds their local news channel and proceeds to get ready for bed. The next thing she knows she is being awaken by a hand at her back and a kiss to her cheek. _He's home._ She smiles up at him as she opens her eyes and turns onto her side.

"Everything ok?" She asks, observing that he is still wearing his uniform. "Did you eat anything?"

"Everythang's fine and I just walked through the door. Wanted to check on you first before I did anythang else," he tells her.

"Well, I tried to wait up for you but once I got in the bed…." She trails off as Rick says, "I know."

He starts undressing, sitting at the foot of the bed as he pulls his shirt tails from his pants and starts to unbutton it.

She sits up quietly, resting her back against the headboard. "I know you don't like talking shop at home but….the reports are everywhere about the shootings. What did the chief have to say about it this time?"

Her husband sighs but understands why she's asking. "The usual but we're gonna have to start wearing vests while on duty, everybody's partnered up now and they're considering calling in some county officers like we can't handle our own city."

She lifts up on her knees and moves toward him, resting her chest on his back, her arms surrounding him. "Well, don't look at it that way. It's just a precaution….a temporary one. But….what's really going on? Is this gang related or what?"

"All of the above….gang related, drug related…..we started cracking down pretty hard on the gang population and now this. I guess this is their retaliation or intimidation and looks like they started something. Everybody thinks it's open season on APD."

She can detect the agitation in him so she squeezes tighter. "Babe, I….I really need you to be careful out there."

He turns around to look at her. "I always am, Michonne. Shane's got my back and I've got his. Nothing's gonna keep me from coming home to you every night. Ok?"

"Ok." She gives him a soft kiss. "Hey, go and take a shower and I'll get your dinner ready. You need to eat something. Otherwise you'll be up at 2 in the morning rumbling through the pantry again."

He laughs knowing she's right. He watches as she exits the room, wondering if he could just forego dinner and feast on her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two weeks later, they are attending the funeral of Officer Tyreese Williams. He and Rick completed the academy together and became fast friends. Rick was devastated when he got the news and that devastation has morphed into anger. Michonne can only sit by quietly as she listens to the moans of Tyreese's wife Karen and the sobs of their two daughters as they are comforted by their equally grieving Aunt Sasha, Tyreese's younger sister.

She looks up at her husband as he stands among other comrades in dress uniforms, his partner and best friend, Shane, by his side. They had just carried the flag covered casket from the hearse to the grave site and now stand in strict formation, the American and state of GA flags flying behind them. A small group of officers carrying rifles line up and proceed to send rounds into the air to honor their fallen comrade.

Michonne knows what to expect but the pop of the rounds makes her jump each and every time. She finds herself on automatic as the service comes to a close and she faces Karen to give her another hug. She kisses the girls and squeezes Sasha's hand, giving comfort to the family in any way she is able. Her heart grows even heavier as she seeks out her husband only to locate him standing near the grave as the casket is lowered into the ground.

Much later after the repast and a visit to Karen and Tyreese's home, Rick and Michonne make their way to their own house, the silence in the car deafening. Rick is consumed by thoughts of bringing the culprits to justice and Michonne is consumed by thoughts of trying to get him to let go of his anger before he tries to do anything.

They enter the house quietly and veer off into different rooms. She understands he needs some space but she would rather he talk about it instead of holding it all in. She also can't help but feel even more apprehensive about his job. Tyreese was only the second officer who had been lost at their precinct, but he was the first to be lost to the recent violence directed at local law enforcement.

She steps into their walk in closet to remove her heels and hang up her black dress, praying she doesn't have to pull out another one for an occasion like this ever again. She dons a strapless sundress and pads barefoot through the house, looking for Rick. She finds him on the patio, sprawled on a lounge chair, nursing a beer.

He took the time to remove his socks and shoes but continues to wear his uniform pants with the shirt still tucked in but opened to his navel to reveal the white t-shirt underneath. The jacket, tie and hat are lying on the ground so she kneels down to retrieve them, dusting them off softly before placing them in her lap as she occupies the other chair.

"You aren't gonna talk?" She asks quietly.

"There's nothing to talk about," he returns.

"There's plenty to talk about Rick. One of your friends….a fellow officer….is gone because of this senselessness and I didn't want to admit this to myself but…..I'm scared. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing's gonna happen to me. I'm gonna find the assholes who did this and put them _under_ the fucking jail," he declares.

"I thought you said the investigation was being handled."

"It is but that doesn't mean I can't do my part while I'm out there," he states.

"You're too close to it to be effective." She hesitates before she goes on, knowing this will only upset him more but she has to voice it. "I think you should put in for a transfer. Things have gotten too dangerous here. We should…."

Her husband sits up and looks at her. "Are you telling me to run? To turn my back on my brothers and sisters when they need me the most?"

She frowns as she hadn't thought of it in that way. "No, I'm not saying that. This is about preservation. I need you to make sure you're gonna be ok and right now…..this isn't the place to ensure that."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Rick…."

"I'm not discussing this anymore." He gets up from his chair and walks into the house, closing the door quietly behind him.

Michonne remains outside for a few minutes more, telling herself to just suck it up and believe that her husband will be ok. She knows how stubborn he can be but she can be just as stubborn.

The silence in the house is steadfast for the remainder of the night. They both ignore what is bothering them and choose to seek solace in each other, relishing in the feelings of euphoria their lovemaking brings again and again.

A week later, Rick and Shane are in their squad car having just completed a check of a lead they thought they had in Tyreese's case. It turned out to be a dead end which only frustrates them even further. The fact that they've been told explicitly by their commanding officer to let the assigned detectives handle the case doesn't deter them in any way.

Rick slams his palm against the steering wheel as he drives, ignoring the shrill ring of his cell phone. He watches out of the corner of his eye as Shane picks it up and sees that it's Michonne again.

His friend scratches his head then turns to him. "Um….you know I don't want to get all in your business or nothing but that's the third call from her. I think you better answer. Something could be wrong."

"Nothing's wrong. She's just _checking_ in," Rick explains. At Shane's puzzled look, Rick continues reluctantly with, "She's worried about the shootings. Wants me to be careful and such."

"Of course she does man. She loves you. It would devastate her if something happened to you. You know that," Shane reminds him.

Rick sighs. "Yeah I know. She also wants me to put in for a transfer. That's her solution to this problem and I know she means well but I just…I don't need the distraction right now."

"Come on now. That ain't fair. I know Michonne and the last thing she's gonna do is distract you…." He thinks better of that statement and says, "….well she is kind of a walking and talking distraction but that's all on you, not her. What I'm saying is she's not gonna do anything deliberately to distract you or nag you while you're working. That's not her so you're ignoring her because what she told you has you thinking."

Rick grips the steering wheel, working his jaw as what his partner and friend just said is accurate. "I….I know she's worried but I can't give her what she wants right now. I can't just walk away like we aren't under attack, like it's not my problem." He sighs again. "She's not nagging. She's not. It's me coz I know what she wants and it kills me not to give her what she wants. If I answer that phone and she even mentions it, I'll cave. I do better with her face to face. Don't ask why. I just do."

"Well damn man. Send her a text or something. She's just as stubborn as you and she ain't gonna stop calling until she knows you're ok. Don't do her like that. She's a got a job to do too, you know."

Rick's guilt is palpable as he knows Shane is right. He pulls over to the side of the road right then and there and sends his wife a text letting her know that he's ok and he'll see her at home.

Michonne excuses herself from the meeting she is attending and walks purposely to the ladies' room. She had just received Rick's text message and couldn't believe the enormous amount of relief she felt after reading his words. She realizes she is going to have to get herself together. The need to check in with him throughout the day only developed recently and she knows it's not fair to him. It's also not fair to her to be ignored which she concludes after receiving his text. It was his polite way of telling her not to call again.

She is sure to tell him as much while they're sitting at the dinner table that night. She waits patiently for an explanation as he continues to chew his food slowly while eyeing her. She watches as he places his fork on his plate and wipes his mouth with his napkin. "Well?"

"Babe, I know you're worried. I get that but I just don't need the distraction right now."

Her mouth drops open at those words because she never considered that her concern would be looked at as a distraction. The fact of him thinking that way only serves to hurt her feelings. Of course it didn't take much to achieve that nowadays as she carried her anxiety about his safety with her at all times. His lack of consideration of her suggestion for a transfer hasn't set well with her either.

"Duly noted. I'm sorry that I care about your safety and just want to hear your voice to know you're ok. I'm sorry that my own workload is suffering because I can't think straight anymore. This is consuming me and you could care less."

He drops his head as he takes her words in. "Michonne….I care. I do but this is my job. We talked about this. We talked about the risks, the danger. You knew this beforehand."

"Yes, I knew about the risks and the danger but this is different. People are gunning down police officers like they don't have a care in the world, Karen has to raise her children without Tyreese and you're telling me I should be ok with this. That I should just hope for the best and put it out of my mind?"

"No, I'm not saying that. I just….."

"Then what would you suggest I do? How do I feel better about this?" Michonne demands softly.

He sighs heavily as his mind races, trying to think of a solution for her, anything but what she truly wants. "Support group. They have support groups for wives."

She can feel the sting of tears so she blinks several times to fight against them. "So you're telling me I can't even talk to you about this anymore? You'd rather I go to a support group and work this out?"

"Babe please. Don't do this," Rick pleads.

"Ok, fine. Just…..you won't even consider it?"

"I can't."

She holds back her tears as they continue to eat in silence, finding it difficult to swallow as she feels her throat trying to close up on her. She doesn't know how she'll do it but she'll have to accept his answer and pray for the best.

He is struggling as well. Everything in him is telling him to give her what she wants, but he just can't. Not right now with the way things are. Once they bring Tyreese's killers to justice and APD has taken back the city, he'll consider it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rick and Shane look at each other and smile as they see the unmarked police car pull up opposite them on the neighborhood street. Seeing the detectives assigned to Tyreese's case lets them know they are on the right trail. They both had doubts as their informant's report led them to a high priced neighborhood in Atlanta.

They exit the vehicle as Graves and her partner, Curry, move in their direction. Shane and Rick nod at their instructions to allow them to lead, both satisfied that they were a step ahead of the detectives.

After several raps on the door, pressing the door bell and identifying themselves more than once, Shane and Rick start to move in opposite directions, each traveling to a corner of the house while the detectives remain at the front door. The distinct sound of a rifle being cocked draws their attention as a high powered blast splinters the front door and knocks Curry to the ground in a bloody mess. Graves grabs her weapon and fires off two shots at the gunman she detects through the hole in the front door.

Rick and Shane both pull their weapons and move in, Graves on her police radio mic calling for back up as she kneels down to check on her partner. His vacant open eyes tell her all she needs to know. Rick steps over the gunman, Graves' shots hitting him in the skull and ending his life. Shane veers off into what looks like the kitchen area while Rick walks cautiously towards the stairs. A movement at the top landing has him pointing his gun in that direction and yelling, "Freeze!"

Clearer inspection reveals a dark haired teen. She lifts her hands immediately, apprehension and fright apparent. Rick was just about to question her when he hears a successive pop and notices a gunman running towards him from a hallway. A searing pain rips through his side but he ignores it as he lowers his weapon and fires several rounds hitting the man in the chest.

Shane makes his way back into the room just as a second gunman appeared raising his weapon and preparing to fire. Dropping to one knee to dodge the bullets, Shane pulls the trigger and brings the second man to a stop. "Rick?"

The teen is screaming and all Rick can hear is a ringing in his ears. The pain in his side only grows worse as weakness envelopes him and he drops to his knees. Shane is there, calling his name but he sounds far away like they're in a tunnel. He blinks several times as his vision blurs, the darkness trying to claim him. The sirens. He can hear the sirens. By now, he has slumped over to his side, trying his best to ignore the pain, but failing. He immediately thinks about his wife. _Michonne._ Her smiling face is the last thing he sees before everything fades to black.


	41. The Other Side of Love Part IIChapter 41

Richonne (Short Love Stories) The Other Side of Love Part II (Chapter 41)

A/N: Thanks for the support everyone. I truly appreciate you. Also, much appreciation to Zeejack and Ezillyamused for their help with this fic.

Michonne is in the midst of a conference call when her assistant, Jeanette, appears at the entrance summoning her. She excuses herself and follows Jeanette to her desk. She smiles when she notices Shane, looking behind him wondering where Rick is. Her eyes come back to Shane, taking in his sweat covered face, his sad eyes, the smears of blood on his arms. "Shane? Where…..where's Rick?"

"Michonne…..I'm sorry but…..there was an accident," he begins.

She reaches for Jeanette's desk, trying to anchor herself as she falters. "Acc….accident? Is he….he's not….." She squeezes her eyes shut, trying to comprehend this.

"He's in surgery so we need to get to the hospital right now," Shane relays.

She nods automatically. "Hos…hospital. Ok." She swallows nervously, her throat going unbelievably dry as she struggles to breath. "I'll…I'll just get…..my purse."

Jeanette holds her large purple handbag in front of her. "Here you are Mrs. Grimes. It's gonna be ok. I'll be praying for you."

Her co-workers appear in their doorways, looks of sympathy and concern marring their faces. Her boss rushes to her side, his lips moving but she can't decipher what he is saying.

Michonne looks down at her bag, wondering what she's supposed to be doing. She can't seem to think let alone move. She feels paralyzed, unable to breath as what she feared the most is punching her right in the face. She grabs the bag and tries to put one foot in front of the other but falters yet again.

Shane steps in on her other side, taking her by the waist. The small smear of blood on his cheek is her undoing. _Rick's blood._ She clutches her stomach, trying her best to hold it together but the tears come anyway, streaming down her face as she makes her way out of the office.

She's not sure how she got to the car, but they're inside and moving….fast. The siren is going and Shane is zooming through each and every red light to get her there. She can't help but wonder if he knows something she doesn't as he is determined to get there as quickly as possible. She covers her mouth to stifle a rising scream, fear clutching every organ in her body.

Shane is talking, relaying to her what happened but she only understands every other word as her internal screams are blocking out any and everything that tries to get in.

_Please….God…please…._ She pleads over and over again.

They get there in record time and rush inside only to be told he is still in surgery and they would have to wait. They also could not get an update on his condition. They move reluctantly to the waiting room and observe as other officers are already there, some arriving after them.

Michonne immediately thinks of Ms. Gladys but she can't call Rick's mother and tell her this. She looks to Shane and quietly asks him to contact his parents and hers. She feels so wound up and the pressure builds to a point that she feels near implosion. Her breathing is too fast and she fears she is hyperventilating. She shakes herself, trying to gain control, telling herself she has to be strong for Rick but she is crashing and crashing fast. She needs to move, to get out of that room before she completely loses it but she is frozen, rooted to her spot. Her head is swimming as she continues to try and catch her breath.

She is brought out of her panic as she notices more medical staff rushing past them hurriedly. They are all moving towards a room down the hall. _Is that….._

Shane detains one of them and asks, "Hey what's going on? What's happening?"

"The officer coded. The doctor requested more equipment and another surgeon pronto. We're doing everything….." The nurse races off, disappearing into an area down the hallway.

Michonne stands and starts to walk down the hall, following the nurse. She can hear Shane call her name but she keeps moving. She bursts through the double doors and wants to scream as she witnesses the doctor using defibrillator paddles on a patient. She can't tell if it's Rick but she has to know. She moves further into the room before a nurse steps to her and tells her she can't be in there.

"Rick. Is that Officer Grimes?"

"Ma'am…please. You can't be in here," the nurse repeats firmly.

"Is that my husband?"

Shane appears and takes Michonne by the waist, pulling her out of the room.

The last thing she sees is the patient's hand flop to the side of the table, appearing lifeless. She screams her husband's name as Shane practically picks her up and carries her out of the hospital.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Her husband hovers above her as he balances on his hands, his body moving against hers. She smiles up at him as she lifts her legs, her thighs cradling his waist, her hips rocking in rhythm to his. She cups his face gently, the love she feels overwhelming her as he fills her like no other. She closes her eyes and thrashes her head from side to side as the feelings take over, her body seeming to dissolve into a thousand pieces as she orgasms. Her hands drops from his face to his shoulders, down to his powerful biceps as she clings to him helplessly._

_She opens her eyes and suddenly he's not there. "Rick? Where are you?" She grabs the sheet and pulls it up to cover her nakedness as she quietly leaves the bed in search of him._

_She opens the bedroom door and steps into the hallway, calling his name again. She descends the stairs and finds him in the kitchen fully dressed, stirring something on the stove. She is about to approach him when she hears a familiar female voice and laughter. She looks over and sees herself, sitting at the kitchen table, laughing and talking with Rick as usual. She scoffs and frowns with confusion._

_More laughter and amused voices draw her to the living area where she sees herself and her husband yet again. This time they are watching a movie and eating popcorn. The panic starts to set in as she is unsure what all of this means. "What's happening to me?"_

_She races back up the stairs to their bedroom only to see another version of herself, dressed in the same black dress she wore to Tyreese's funeral. She is curled up on the bed, crying with a framed photo of Rick clutched to her chest. "No….no…..no…..NOOOOOOOO!" She screams as her vision blurs and goes black._

Michonne jerks awake, looking around frantically at her surroundings. She is home, in their bed but she's not wearing a black dress. Her relief is short lived as she sees her dad sitting in a chair nearby, seemingly asleep. She starts to panic again and pinches herself in an effort to ensure she's not dreaming. "Daddy? Daddy? What are you doing here?"

He sits up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Hey baby girl. You feeling ok?"

"I…I think so. Where's Rick?"

Her father looks at her cautiously. "Are you sure you're ok? Rick….he's in the hospital. Remember? He…he had an accident."

"Hospital? Accident?" She looks down at her lap, recognizing the dress she wore to work that morning and the memories come flooding back. Shane coming to her job to tell her about Rick, the ride to the hospital, the…."I need to go. Why are we here? Why aren't we at the hospital?"

"You kind of had an episode and Shane had no choice but to get you out of there." He sighs as he rubs the back of his neck. "We can leave as soon as you're ready."

She wrings her hands anxiously as she remembers what she saw at the hospital. "Daddy….is Rick….is he ok?"

"Your momma said he's out of surgery but they're keeping him in intensive care overnight just as a precaution," Walter relays.

She sighs with relief as she scrambles out of bed hurriedly. "Let's go."

Her dad drives her to the hospital despite Shane's offer to come and get them. They arrive promptly and Michonne ignores the stares and looks of sympathy from those in the waiting room as she makes her way to her mom, Rick's parents, and Shane. She can barely hold the tears at bay as she hugs them all before asking after Rick. The next rotation of visits for ICU was in another two hours but Michonne could not wait. Shane had spoken to the doctors and the nurses who allowed Michonne in to see her husband.

She walks into the room slowly and shakes her head sadly as she witnesses how helpless he looks, how pale his skin is. He is on a breathing machine, tubes running across his nose, an IV in one of his arms. She collapses in a nearby chair as her knees go weak. She inches closer to the bed and lightly touches his hand. She takes a few deep breaths as she continues to hold her emotions at bay, the relief that he is alive overruling everything else.

"I thought…..I thought I had lost you," she tells him as she sniffs quietly. "I've…never been so afraid…in my life. But….I know…you're a fighter. A good one and you're…not…gonna leave me. You wouldn't….do that." She wipes her face with both hands before grasping his again. "I love you….so much." She leans over and kisses his hand, resting her head on the bed as she cries softly.

Meanwhile, Shane is conversing with his boss and some other officers about the shootout. He learns that the guy Rick took out was actually some hot shot millionaire who made his money not only selling cars, but pushing drugs. He employed gang members, giving them legitimate jobs in an effort to cover up their illegitimate ones.

Phillip Blake lost his wife in a horrific car accident caused by a high speed chase involving APD hence his personal vendetta against local law enforcement. Add that to the fact that APD was hedging in on his drug business and Blake felt the need to retaliate viciously.

Caesar Martinez was the man Shane killed. He had an extensive police record and was a known leader of a notorious gang in the area. The third man who shot and killed Curry was Milton Mamet. Apparently, he was some sort of science genius and the investigators haven't been able to piece together why he was wielding a weapon.

The chief is already speaking highly of their actions, as well as Graves and Curry. Shane is hopeful that with the elimination of those key players, the war against APD will cease. He also hopes he can give his best friend and partner the good news face to face real soon.

Michonne takes turns with their parents and Shane visiting and sitting with Rick as he remains unconscious and unresponsive. All of his vital signs are good so the doctor orders him moved to a regular room after almost two days in the ICU. She is saying good bye to their parents who are going to their house for a short break but will return later when Karen and Sasha appear. She greets them with hugs as she waves goodbye to the parents and escorts Karen and Sasha in to see Rick.

An hour later, the room is finally quiet and it's just her and him as she sits and reads to him quietly. He loves keeping up with the news so she reads from the newspaper trying to keep the stories upbeat and positive. The doctor has assured them that he would wake up in his own time, that no prodding was needed from them but she can't help herself. She lowers the paper and stands, looking at his peaceful face as he continues to sleep.

She smooths his hair back as she caresses his forehead. She smiles as she notices his stubble is looking thicker. She cups his face. "Alright Grimes, you're starting to look a bit rough around the edges. You better wake up so you can get to the barber shop." She watches intently for a sign, anything that lets her know he heard her. When he doesn't respond, she closes her eyes briefly with a deep sigh but refuses to give up.

She places a hand on his chest. "Babe….please…..wake up. I really need you to be ok. Please." She resumes her seat and picks the paper up to start reading again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Laughter. He can hear laughter. He tries so hard to open his eyes but realizes he can't. "Why? What's wrong with me?" He can feel the movement of his eyes beneath his lowered lids and wonders why he feels so trapped. He attempts to speak but….nothing. His breathing increases as the panic starts to roll through his body. "I can't talk, I can't move. I…" She laughs again and he latches on, wanting and needing to concentrate on the sound, anything to alleviate the swelling panic. _

"_Michonne. It's Michonne. She's here….wherever here is…and she's talking about when we first met and how tongue tied I was." He remembers that vividly, how she basically led their conversation and made him feel more comfortable. Before he knew it, hours had passed and neither wanted to step away. He needed that comfort now. So much. He attempts to respond, tell her he remembers everything about that day, but nothing happens. "Paralysis? Is this what this is? Am I paralyzed?" He thinks harder, trying to piece together what happened. The memories come in flashes, flashes of Curry's lifeless, bloody body, flashes of the teenaged girl on the stair landing, flashes of gun fire and then…..Michonne. He saw her smiling face so clearly. He needs to see her again, touch her again. _

_The struggle is real as the silent screams come, as the frustration hits him like a fist to the gut. "No, this can't be happening. This cannot be happening." Her voice grounds him again. She speaks with fondness, the love in her voice so poignant and profound. He has to find his way back to her, no matter what. "A plan. I need a plan." He makes every effort to calm down and after deciphering that he was lying in a bed, he hones in on the other sounds around him. He detects a television playing quietly, the beep of some sort of machine, muted voices…..they must be in a room of sorts. Next, he concentrates on the smells….something medicinal, maybe even some sort of cleaning agent. The door opens and his wife is greeting someone. "A doctor?" They talk about his progress as Michonne asks question after question. His heart drops to hear the despair in her voice. "I'm ok, babe. I swear I am."_

The doctor examines Rick as usual, shining a penlight into his eyes as she lifts the lids. Michonne looks on, hoping for any sign of movement, hoping for any sign of anything. Only moments later, the doctor denotes no changes and informs Michonne that she will schedule an MRI for early am. She doesn't think it's needed but wants to garner his brain activity.

Michonne only agrees as the doctor continues and then excuses herself. She can be seen conversing with staff through the small glass pane in the door.

Michonne turns to her husband, smiling down at him and praying yet again for a full recovery real soon. She cups his face as she fights back tears. "Rick. I hope you can hear me. Please….come back to me."

_He wants to bask in her touch, push his face into the warmth of her hands. The contact is so comforting, so soft….He gasps as he feels her lips touch his. The need to respond is so overwhelming and before he knows it, his eyes have filled with tears. The wetness escapes as he gives over to the emotions._

Michonne gasps and jerks up as she feels moisture on her hands. "Rick?" She notices the tears pouring from his eyes and immediately starts to cry with him. She drops her forehead to his. "It's ok. I'm here and everything's going to be fine. I promise. I love you. I love you so much." She glances toward the door and sees the doctor still there so she rushes over and swings it open. "Dr. Prescott!" She moves back to Rick's side as the doctor enters the room. "He's crying! Doesn't that mean something? Doesn't that mean he can hear me? Feel me?"

Dr. Prescott looks down at her patient and says, "Let's not make any presumptions just yet." She brings her eyes to Michonne's anxious ones. "I will say it's a very good sign. The MRI has been scheduled for tomorrow morning at 5 am. Let's get the results from that and go from there, ok?"

Michonne only nods as she tries to contain the need to shout. She is going to take this as the best sign ever and believe wholeheartedly that Rick is on his way back to her. She thanks the doctor and watches her leave before turning her attention back to her husband. She relays to him that she knows he can hear her and that she is going to be right there when he finally decides to open his eyes.

Later that afternoon, she shares the good news with her parents and with Shane. The latter warns her not to get her hopes up but she ignores him. The next morning, the MRI is administered just as planned. The results are given much later but only reveal what the doctor had already guessed. There is no abnormal brain activity and Rick appears to be just fine. They are going to have to practice patience and pray that he wakes up soon.

Two days later, Michonne is reading a newspaper article about an upcoming ceremony to commemorate fallen APD police officers and to observe the heroic acts of Officers Rick Grimes and Shane Walsh and Detective Ariel Graves at a city park hosted by the Governor's office.

She smiles at her parents and Rick's as she says, "See babe. You really need to wake up so we can attend this ceremony. It will be a sad time but also a time to celebrate. You and Shane were integral in putting a stop to this. Isn't this what you wanted? What you set out to do for Tyreese?"

Her elbows are propped up on the bed as she holds the paper in front of her. She jumps as she feels a brush against her skin. She drops the paper and looks down at her elbow to see two of her husband's fingers lift towards her elbow again. Her heartbeat increases as she continues to look down, unable to believe her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Her mother asks.

She ignores her, never taking her eyes off of her husband as she grabs his hand and his body seems to lift up as he takes a deep, sound breath. She swallows nervously as her eyes glide to his face.

He is staring right back at her as he whispers, "Michonne."

**Epilogue**: Ten days later, Rick attends the Governor's ceremony. He foregoes using any type of device to help him maneuver his way around although his wound (a bullet penetrated his side where the vest meets but offers little protection) is dressed tightly and still healing. Michonne observes proudly, alongside their parents and friends as he and Shane are honored. The danger will never be over, but the streets are a little safer as the Feds moved in to deal with the drug selling gangs. Rick will be in recovery for several more weeks, but his commanding officer already has a nice desk picked out for him as he will be on desk duty for a while.

Michonne is more than happy to get that news personally from the chief but realized that she and Rick needed a little more than that. The two of them are attending trauma counseling, individually and as a couple and she has also joined a support group for the wives of police officers.


	42. You Changed My Mind Chapter 42

Richonne (Short Love Stories) You Changed My Mind (Chapter 42)

**A/N: For the RichonneFics June Bride Challenge. ****This is a sequel to Richonne (Short Love Stories) No Attachments (Chapter 27)**

**Day 1 – What Do You Propose?**

Michonne's internal clock awakens her right before sunrise. This always happens when she stays the night at Rick's and Carl is in his bedroom down the hall. The pre-teen knows she is dating his dad but she has a problem with him knowing that she spends an occasional night there so she is sure to rise before he does, gets dressed and rushes off to procure breakfast, pretending to arrive just as the two of them are waking up.

She is about to scramble out of bed when an arm snakes around her waist and pulls her back. "Don't even think about it."

He nuzzles her neck with his nose. "I was just gonna say good morning."

"Hmmm…..I bet you were," she returns. She disentangles herself and exits the bed, moving to the bathroom.

Rick watches her go then rolls over and retrieves something from his night stand drawer.

Moments later, she returns wearing a pair of jeans, sandals, and a red tank top. She piles her hair up into a ponytail as she walks toward her purse and overnight bag.

"I'll get pancakes this morning. He loves pancakes."

"Or you could stay right here with me and let me cook breakfast for you for a change," Rick offers.

Michonne ponders his words. "Well, I guess that might work. I could run out for a few minutes and come back….."

"No, I don't want you to leave at all. I want us to make this right. Let's get engaged so you don't have to run off on the mornings that Carl is here." He pulls a small black box from underneath the sheets and places it on her side of the bed.

Michonne gasps as she looks from him to the box and back to him again. "You….you bought a ring?"

Rick nods. "I bought a ring."

She lowers herself to the bed, propping up on her knees. "But we said we didn't want to get married again. Remember?"

"Yeah but you changed my mind." He smiles. "Did I change yours?"

Michonne smiles right back. "Yes."

**Day 2 – Something Old, Something New**

Michonne can't believe how excited she is to be getting married again. She thought it would be the last thing she would ever consider a second time but Rick has definitely changed her mind. He swooped in and swept her off her feet but gave her the space she craved or thought she was craving. The two weeks she tried to pull away and convince herself that she wasn't in love turned out to be disastrous but thank goodness her love is the forgiving type.

She is now at the jewelry store finalizing an order for a locket that will serve as her something old, something new. Rick purchased a three stone engagement ring that she absolutely loves and he chose it all by himself. It signifies past, present, and future so she decides to use the same adage for something old, something new for the wedding.

She is ordering a sterling silver oval shaped gate locket with an old photo of Rick and Carl to represent their past, a photo of her and Rick to chronicle their present, and lastly, a recent photo of her, Rick and Carl to show their future. She also includes their birthstones (amethyst for her as her birthday is in February, alexandrite for Carl who has a June birthdate, and sapphire for Rick whose birthday is in September).

She smiles at the salesperson as she hands over the sales ticket after ensuring its accuracy. "Everything looks great." She checks her watch and realizes she needs to leave in order to meet Andrea, Sasha, Ms. Gladys, Jacqui (their wedding planner), and her mom for another luncheon/planning meeting. She thanks the salesperson once again and exits the store.

Her phone vibrates and she retrieves it immediately thinking it's one of the five, probably her mom, texting her. She smiles as she utilizes the keyless entry to unlock the car, climbing inside as she reads Rick's text. _Have fun_.

**Day 3 – Planning Paradise**

Of course she would be the last one to arrive at the restaurant. It appears that her friends, mother, future mother-in-law, and Jacqui are just as excited as she is. She can't help but think how much of a blessing that is.

She greets them all, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek as she pulls her planner from her purse. She sees they already have theirs out and at the ready. At least three major items have already been decided….the invitations, the venue (a coastal hotel) and the colors (navy and purple). Today, they would be looking at caterers, photographers and videographers, florists, decorations, and bridal shops. Majority of which would be local businesses on the coast. They were also planning a trip to the coast to finalize details and sign contracts.

"Before we do anything, Rick wants Morgan's bar-b-q on the menu. He said he'd take care of it but Jacqui please touch base with him about that," Michonne informs.

"Guess Morgan's made a pretty good impression on him the night he met you," Andrea puts in.

Michonne laughs. "He has gotten to know Morgan quite well since then."

"Noted. Now I sent you the names of the caterers that the hotel recommended. Did you get a chance to check out their websites?" Jacqui asks.

"I did. Would you suggest we do a tasting with them as well as the bakeries?"

"Yes, I can set that up for our visit next month," Jacqui suggests.

"What about the bridal shop?" Mrs. Gladys puts in as she has been most anxious about the dresses.

"Massey Brides did a great job for my wedding so they'd be my recommendation. There's also Bridal Expressions and Wedding Allure," Andrea suggests.

They order a couple of appetizers and continue planning well into the afternoon.

**Day 4 – Something Borrowed, Something Blue**

She only has a matter of days before she leaves for the coast and she wants as much as possible handled at home, so she makes every effort to accomplish that. She would be traveling with Andrea, Sasha, and Jacqui on Thursday while Rick, Shane, and Morgan plan to arrive Friday night. That way, they can finalize their plans once and for all. She had to remember to reserve two extra rooms as both their parents would be arriving as well.

The wedding is only weeks away and time seems to be moving faster than ever. She decides to take care of her something borrowed and something blue now that she knows exactly what she wants. She snaps her fingers as she remembers what she was supposed to do first thing that morning. She retrieves her cell phone and presses a button.

Andrea picks up after the first ring. "Andrea Walsh."

"So you know how much I hate to call you at work but I really had to do this while it was fresh on my mind," Michonne begins.

"What are you talking about?"

"I need to borrow something from you," Michonne states cautiously.

"As long as it's not Shane, we're good," Andrea laughs.

Michonne ignores her joke and says, "That gorgeous bouquet holder you had custom made for your wedding…..could that possibly be my something borrowed? Please?"

Andrea smiles from ear to ear, honored that Michonne would want to use anything of hers. Her friend is the one who exudes class like no other so Andrea is always borrowing from her. "I'd be delighted. Never knew you liked it that much."

"It's beautiful and you know it," Michonne returns.

"Consider it all yours," Andrea agrees. "So what's the something blue or are you even bothering since navy is one of your colors?"

"I've decided to decorate the unity candles with navy accessories and a navy pen set to sign the certificate," Michonne answers.

"Well, that's different. I like it," Andrea inputs.

"I feel like I'm putting way too much effort into this. Maybe we should've just gone to the justice of the peace. This _is_ the second marriage for both of us after all," Michonne ponders.

"Yeah and this time it's forever so pull out all the stops my friend. You and Rick deserve it," Andrea encourages.

Michonne can't help the smile that plays around her mouth. "You're right." Her other half walks into the room she has converted into a part time office as she has been working from home for the last two weeks. The look on his face is confused as he thumbs through the cruise line brochure she handed him two days ago.

"Umm….babe?" Her uniformed fiancé utters.

"Talk to you later Andrea. Thanks again."

**Day 5 – Let Them Eat Cake**

Rick arrives early at the hotel and is almost awestruck. The photos did not do this place justice at all. The numbers start adding up in his head and he has to wonder if they can afford all of this. Morgan and Shane are close behind just as awestruck as he is.

They all get room keys and take the elevator to their respective floors, arranging to get together in a couple of hours. Rick arrives at the room and promptly gets in the shower after unpacking his overnight bag. He was standing in the middle of the bedroom in nothing but a towel, enthralled by a local news story on TV when Michonne walked through the door. She gasps when she sees him and immediately tears up after saying hi, not expecting him to be there.

Rick rushes over to her and asks, "What's wrong?"

"I'm just glad you're here."

He gives her a look, letting her know he realizes it's more than that.

"They ordered the wrong color for the bridesmaids' dresses and I don't know if they'll get it straightened out in time." Tears of frustration stream down her cheeks as the weeks of planning, organizing, the meetings….finally start to take their toll. "I was thorough. I checked and rechecked. Jacqui checked and rechecked and they still got the color wrong. Now what?"

He sighs as he pulls her into his arms to comfort her. "It's going to be fine, babe. Come on, don't cry."

"I just wanted everything to be perfect and now this….." She trails off as he leads her over to the bed, pulling her purse off her shoulder and setting it aside. She watches as he bends down and starts removing her shoes, the wet tendrils of curly hair falling onto his forehead.

He sits down beside her, assuring her that Jacqui would handle it and everything would work out. He leans over and nuzzles her cheek with his nose. "I bet I know how to cheer you up."

She gives him a look, hoping he's ready to get frisky. She needs him to take her away for a while. "How?"

"I know about all of our appointments tomorrow. I've really been using the app you downloaded on my phone. We've got the caterers, the florist, the musicians, the cake tastings, the tuxedos, and the photographer/videographer. Did I miss anything?"

She gives a giggle, so pleased that he really does know how to cheer her up. "I think that's everything. So you _have_ been paying attention?"

"More than you know," he returns as he brushes his lips against her cheek. "I missed you last night. Did you miss me?"

"Yeah." She tugs on the towel, revealing his nakedness underneath. She smiles and welcomes him into her arms as they both recline on the bed.

The next day is filled with appointment after appointment. They meet with the caterers, Jacqui, Morgan, Ms. Gladys, and Ms. Mae in tow. Andrea and Shane were meeting them later at the bakery and Arthur and Walter were playing golf. From there, it's the florist and the cake tastings. The day has been full and eventful and they end it with meeting the hotel's musicians and taking tours of the garden area where the ceremony will be held, the location for the reception, and choosing a honeymoon suite for their wedding night.

Michonne is not sure how they crammed it all in and especially with an entourage, but they pulled it off and got things finalized, taking in coastal sights as well. She flops down on the bed, exhausted. "Can we just skip the group dinner tonight?"

Rick turns to look at her. "And have my mom and your mom knocking on the door wondering what we're up to in here? No thanks."

She laughs, knowing he's telling the truth. "Fine. Wake me up in an hour." She grabs a pillow and pulls it over her head.

Her last thought before drifting off to sleep is of the tiered violet cassias cake they ordered and the chocolate monogrammed cake Rick chose for his groom's cake.

**Day 6 – Singled Out(ings)**

Butterflies in her stomach is an understatement as Michonne realizes that it's the night before her wedding. They've been on the coast for an entire week and all has miraculously come together. Ms. Gladys worked tirelessly to get the bridesmaids' dresses taken care of. She decided talking to the manager was doing her no good so she contacted the corporate office and demanded to speak to the owner. It didn't hurt that Walter put in a call as well to politely threaten legal action. Needless to say, their order was handled personally by the owner and her staff instead of the local chain and the dresses were delivered directly to the hotel.

She had met with Jacqui just that morning finalizing plans for the hair stylists and makeup artists and was assured repeatedly that everything was in place.

_We're going out and having some fun tonight_…..Jacqui's words echo in her head as she looks at herself in the mirror, wondering for the tenth time why she even agreed to this. She just wants to curl up in bed and sleep. The thought is so inviting but the reality is the excitement coursing through her veins would prevent anything close to slumber at the moment.

Her mind slowly but surely drifts to her fiancé, imagining that he is getting prepared for his night out as well. She toys with her engagement ring, smiling as she recalls how he insisted that he would occupy another room for the night. She knew it would serve no purpose to protest so the thought that she'll be sleeping by his side each and every night after tomorrow is what will get her through the night.

A series of knocks at the door jolts her out of her reverie and she sighs as she already knows who awaits on the other side.

Rick laughs jovially with Shane, Morgan, Tyreese, Glenn, and his cousin Tate. He is surprised by the number of people from King County who decided to attend. He is equally surprised that his boss decided to leave everything in Leon Bassett's hands for two days while half the force came to support him. He's not sure what the guys have planned. The coast is beautiful and that's what they're known for. Not strip clubs and the like and he'd never admit this to Shane but he is beyond relieved they won't be bothered with that trope although he knows his best friend has something planned. He hopes the closest he'll get to seeing a nude female tonight is a porn flick. He scoffs as he remembers the most perfect set of breasts he has ever encountered and will ever want to encounter.

He shakes his head as his thoughts seem to conjure her up as she steps out of the elevator surrounded by her friends, all of them talking and laughing with excitement. She is wearing a sequined dress that hits her mid-thigh and the tallest heels he's ever seen her in. He immediately regrets that they won't be spending the evening together.

"Hey! Where y'all headed?" Shane yells across the lobby.

Andrea looks over with a huge smile. "Wouldn't you like to know? See ya later alligator!"

"After a while crocodile," Jacqui sings.

"Are they drunk already?" Glenn asks.

Rick only smiles as his eyes connect with Michonne's. He is sure to peruse her body from head to toe before meeting her gaze again. The shyness but apparent desire he encounters has him tilting his head, wondering how he will make it through the night surrounded by a bunch of hard legs. He only gives her a nod as she tosses her hand up and waves goodbye before being dragged out of the hotel by Andrea.

An hour later, Rick finds himself walking into a club that they had to drive over thirty minutes to find. Of course, Shane's plan as best man was to drive another forty minutes away to a strip club. Rick protested as that's not what he wanted to do. Hence, they were basically going to wing it for the night. Glenn was their designated driver for the time being so he opted to check out the night club first. If nothing was happening here, they'd move on.

Shane is complaining but Rick politely ignores him as they make a beeline for the bar and order drinks.

"Are you kidding me right now?!" The female voice is loud and belongs to none other than Andrea as she stalks over to Shane and demands to know why he's there.

Her husband turns to face her, his expression one of innocence as he answers, "Huh? What are _you_ doing here?"

"If you guys followed us…." Andrea begins.

"Hey now. No. No, we did not follow you. We came here looking for a good time just like y'all did," Shane returns.

Rick immediately starts searching the vicinity, looking for Michonne. He spots her standing with Sasha, both nursing drinks as they watch the dancers on the floor. He smiles and grabs his drink, making his way towards her.

Before he arrives, a gentleman in a denim jacket steps to his fiancée and starts talking to her. Rick can't hear what is being said but his eyes zero in on Michonne and it's almost like she can feel his stare as she lifts her soulful brown eyes over the guy's shoulder and connects with Rick's curious blue gaze. He stands off to the side, waiting.

Only seconds later, she has excused herself from the guy and Sasha and steps to Rick. "What are you doing here?"

"No….fancy meeting you here?" He asks with a smile.

She wonders how he still manages to make her heart race after all the things they've shared and after all the time they've been together. "Well, it's more than fancy but somebody is gonna think this was your plan all along?"

"How is that and I had no idea where you ladies were headed? This is completely circumstantial," he states.

"So….what are we gonna do about these current circumstances?"

"Would you like to dance?" He offers his hand and pulls her towards the floor once she accepts.

The music is upbeat but they hold each other closely, moving rhythmically. He trails his fingers down her arm, smiling as she starts to quiver. He grasps her hand in his, entwining their fingers as he grazes his lips against her cheek before capturing her mouth with his.

Shane is walking alongside Andrea as she tries to round up the others to take their party elsewhere. He watches as she pulls up short and says, "Well, damn." He follows her line of vision and bursts into laughter.

Rick and Michonne are holding hands and making out right there on the dance floor without a care in the world.

**Day 7 – Going To The Chapel**

Carl can't believe his dad is still sleeping as today is the day for the wedding. He spent most of the previous night with Duane and even though his grandparents wanted him to stay with them, he opted to be with his dad. Although his dad stumbling in at 4:30 in the morning didn't equate to them spending any time together. Secretly, he loved being in the room alone. It made him feel a lot older than his twelve years of age and he wanted his dad to enjoy his last night as a single man. He opens up the curtains, allowing the morning sun to brighten the room gloriously.

Rick moans and lifts an arm to block the brightness. His head is pounding just a bit as he attempts to look around and decide whether to wake up or not. He blinks rapidly, recognizing his son as the young one flits across the room almost nervously.

"I ordered breakfast so it'll be here soon. You should get up and get your day started. I'm going to check on Michonne," Carl relays as he laces up his sneakers.

_Michonne_. Rick recalls the night before and smiles. They danced well into the am hours and consumed way too much alcohol. He reaches up to rub the sleep from his eyes and feels something soft and silky between his fingers. He blinks a few times as he tries to figure out what he is holding. He lifts it up as his eyes pop with recognition. It was Michonne's thong. He looks over to find Carl scowling at him.

"What is that?" His son asks sternly.

Rick drops the item to the bed. "Nothing."

"Dad…you didn't! Were you with some stripper or something last night?"

"Of course not," Rick states.

"Then who do those belong to?"

He gives his son an uncomfortable but exasperated look that clearly says 'stay out of my business'. "I was with who I was supposed to be with and that's all you need to know."

Carl nods slowly as he comprehends what his dad is relaying, smiling inwardly. "Well, go on, get up. Get your shower. We've…."

"Carl, the wedding isn't until 2. Why are we rushing?" Rick asks.

"I just want everything to be right for today. For you and for Michonne," Carl returns.

Rick looks over at his son as his expression softens with love. "It will be, son. This is going to be the happiest day ever for all of us." He takes a deep breath, rolls off the bed, and opens the French doors to step out onto the balcony.

The sun is shining and the wind is higher than anticipated but he knows the day will be perfect. He looks to his side as Carl joins him, throwing an arm across his son's shoulders. "You ready?"

Carl nods as they both look out towards the sandy coast, admiring how the sun makes the water glisten.

Hours later, Michonne laughs as Carl enters her bedroom with Andrea, walking backwards. "What are you doing?"

"Dad said we're not supposed to see you before the ceremony but I still wanted to come by and check on you….for him and….well, for me, too," he admits.

She tilts her head to the side, smiling up at Jacqui as she considers her soon-to-be stepson. "I'm doing fine, Carl. Thanks for checking on me…..and it's the groom who's not supposed to see the bride before the ceremony so you're ok."

He gives a sheepish smile and turns to face her. "In that case….are you ready?" His eyes grow wide as he sees her in her wedding dress. "Wow!"

"Why, thank you. You look mighty handsome yourself, young man. That color looks good on you," she returns as she admires his navy tuxedo with matching accessories.

"I can't wait for Dad to see you," Carl exclaims. "You're really beautiful, Michonne. I'm glad you're marrying my dad."

"Aww….you're the sweetest. Come here." She opens her arms wide to receive him, giving a tight love filled hug.

A chime goes off successively and Jacqui checks her phone. "Ok people. Time for photos. "Gentlemen in the garden and ladies in the ballroom. Let me call Clara so she can start rounding everybody up." She rushes off, pulling Carl with her, to ensure everything is being handled.

As they are exiting, Ms. Mae and Ms. Gladys are entering. Walter and Arthur were with them, but Jacqui detains them and tells them to follow her.

For the next hour, photos and videos are handled, the groom, best man, and groomsmen in one area while the bride, matron of honor, and bridesmaids are in another. They switch and then everyone prepares for the ceremony, official wedding party photos to be taken afterwards.

The time has finally arrived. Jacqui and Clara, her assistant, are flitting back and forth ensuring all is in place, checking on the bride, groom, and wedding party as well. Jacqui gives the signal to begin and the music ensemble plays something soft as Rick along with his two best men, Carl and Shane and Reverend Hines walk the aisle to arrive at the altar.

Once they are in place, the parents of the groom, Gladys and Arthur, walk in, followed by the bride's mother, Mae, escorted by one of the ushers. Next are the bridesmaids (Maggie, Sasha, and Karen) escorted by the groomsmen (Morgan, Glenn, and Tate) followed by the matron of honor (Andrea). The ring bearer is next and finally the flower girl.

The guests are prompted to stand as the first chords of the wedding march are sounded. Michonne enters with her father, Walter, at her side. The gasps of the guests attest to how breathtaking the bride truly is. She smiles nervously as she seeks out her love, locking eyes with him as she slowly but surely makes her way down the aisle. She drops her gaze for only a moment when she sees the moisture in his eyes, trying her best to keep her own tears at bay. The happiness they are experiencing is trying its best to burst forth in all ways.

Rick steps forward to claim his bride, shaking hands with Walter before bringing his eyes right back to his beautiful wife-to-be. They both step towards the reverend and the guests are directed to sit as the reverend begins to speak.

"Family, friends, guests, we are gathered here before God to witness the union of Rick and Michonne in holy matrimony. This occasion marks the celebration of love and commitment with which they begin their life together. And now – through me – He joins you together in one of the holiest of bonds." The reverend continues to recite from the bible accordingly.

Moments later, Michonne is handing off her bouquet to Andrea as they prepare to exchange vows and rings. They face each other, holding hands as they repeat the traditional vows as rehearsed before the reverend announces that the couple will also recite vows of their own.

"Rick?" Reverend Hines gestures toward the handsome groom as Rick prepares to share his personal, heartfelt wedding vows.

He smiles nervously as he lifts his eyes to hers and says, "Thank you for being the woman you are, for recognizing what we could have together despite what the world had doled out to us before. You have been my greatest challenge. But most importantly, you are the love of my life and you make me happier than I could ever imagine. You changed my mind a lot earlier than you think and yes it took you a little more time but you finally caught up and you've never looked back. I vow to love you with everything that I am. Always and forever."

Michonne squeezes his hands, trying her best to keep her tears at bay as she detects the sniffles behind her. "Rick, it's amazing that we both had the same thought process about marriage and that's what brought us together. I'm so thankful for you, for you changing my mind and showing me that I could have happiness again. I love you so much and I know this journey with you is going to be the best thing that has ever happened to me. I vow to be by your side in any and everything we do. You are my equal, my other half, the one person I can't live without. Always and forever."

Reverend Hines looks around nervously as the couple embrace, something that was not rehearsed but something they both felt the need to enact in that moment. Once they pull apart, the rings are exchanged happily and promptly. "I now pronounce you husband and wife." He turns to the groom. "You may now salute your bride."

Rick mirrors Michonne's smile as they both lean in and kiss each other sweetly. They then turn to face their guests.

Reverend Hines smiles proudly as he announces, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Richard Grimes."


	43. A Gifted Heart Chapter 43

Richonne (Short Love Stories) A Gifted Heart (Chapter 43)

**A/N: A request by RicksColt. Hope you enjoy.**

"I can't deal with this guilt, Sasha. It's eating me alive," Michonne confesses to her best friend as they sit in her clustered living room on a Friday night. They were supposed to go out for dinner and a movie but Michonne is too consumed by recent developments to concentrate on anything else.

"Well maybe you should do something about it," Sasha offers.

"Like what?" Michonne asks as she mentally envisions packing the boxes that are scattered throughout her home.

"Tell him how you feel. Maybe that will absolve you of some of the guilt. He's still your friend if nothing else right?"

"But the point is I shouldn't be feeling this way. It's only been a little over a year. How could I possibly be in love with someone else?" Michonne asks.

"_In love_?" Sasha questions incredulously. "You didn't say anything about that."

"Which only tells me that you haven't been listening to me," Michonne counters as she sits back with a huff and a morose expression.

Sasha immediately feels for her friend and offers an apology. "It's not that I haven't been listening to you. I just….well….honestly I thought you just wanted to sleep with him, not be in an actual relationship."

"I do want to sleep with him. I want it all with him but how can I feel this way after what I've been through? Is this some sort of betrayal? Am I fooling myself into thinking this is real? Most of all, why would he even believe me if I was to tell him?" Michonne sighs heavily. "I feel like a stupid school girl with a crush."

"Wait a minute. You're acting like this is all one sided. I thought he was checking you out too," Sasha reminds her.

That brings a smile to Michonne's face as she recalls the times she has felt his eyes on her or even caught him stealing a glance or two or three. "He does. He has but that's it. He hasn't even attempted to make a move on me."

"Looks like I need to intervene….."

"No Sasha. None of your antics or…."

"This is going to be quite simple. We'll kill several birds with one stone," Sasha suggests.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm going to host a dinner party. You invite him and in that particular setting, we can determine a lot of things," Sasha assures.

"Oh yeah like what?"

"Could he be batting for the other team? We'll tell Aaron and Eric to show up. Oh and Paul too. They'll scope him out for sure."

"He is NOT gay, Sasha," Michonne states.

"Better safe than sorry," Sasha inserts. "Let's see. We can invite Andrea and a couple of her model friends to see if he goes for that type."

"This sounds like a game I don't want to play," Michonne responds.

"Afraid you're not his type?"

"Don't challenge me."

"You always go for what you want. What's so different about this?"

"It just is and you're inviting our friends and basically setting him up….No. I don't want that. I should just be straight with him. Tell him how I'm feeling right?"

Sasha gives her friend an exasperated look. "Isn't that what I just said?"

_Fourteen months ago_

Rick Grimes opens his eyes slowly and frowns as he feels an ache in his chest. He recognizes where he is immediately since he has spent more time here than he'd like to admit. His parents sit close by, both sleeping, the drone of the TV low but steady. The beep of his heart monitor sounds and he looks over at the equipment, noting that all seems well.

He's not sure of the date or the time but he hopes he can surmise that his surgery was successful. The pain medication is seemingly wearing off as the ache becomes more insistent. As if they can read his mind, a knock sounds at the door and two nurses, one male and one female, enter the room.

The female smiles and asks, "Are you feeling ok Mr. Grimes?"

Rick attempts to speak but it only comes out as a croak. He clears his throat, swallows and tries again. "Fine. Some…pain."

The nurses both nod then patiently and accurately check his vitals, administer more pain medication, and readjust his equipment and tubes, cleaning and replacing as needed.

Mr. and Mrs. Grimes are awakened and smile at their son, happy that he is finally awake.

The male nurse informs, "Everything looks good and the doctor should be here momentarily. Do you need anything? More water? Extra blankets?"

Rick shakes his head slowly but negatively and watches as they exit the room. He turns his attention to his parents and gives them a small smile, so happy to be looking at them once again. He realizes without the surgery, things would have been a lot different.

"Are you sure you're feeling ok son?" Arthur asks cautiously.

Rick can only nod as his parents continue to inquire about his health, something they had good reason to be concerned about.

He was diagnosed with a heart condition as a young adult, a genetic disease that his mother's father suffered from. Over ten years later, he was in progressive heart failure and needed a transplant. He waited for months before a donor became available. A horrible car accident claimed the life of a young man who was an organ donor, a young man whose death saved Rick's life.

He remembers the conversation he and his parents had with the doctor prior to his surgery and he decided right then and there to make an effort to reach out to this young man's family as soon as he was able.

Three weeks later, Rick is out of the hospital and ensconced in his two bedroom apartment with his parents who will help with his recovery until he gets a full release from his doctor. His 10 year old son, Carl, visited with his mother, Lori, Rick's ex-wife. They now live in Virginia with her new husband and with school being in session, it would be difficult for Carl to visit on a regular and extended basis. They did have the summer to look forward to.

Effective immediately, he will have weekly appointments with his doctor and if he progresses well enough, those visits will go to monthly intervals to every other month and so on. He will be careful to do all that is expected of him for a speedy and healthy recovery.

He utilizes the time at home to find out more about his donor's family. With a little help from his co-workers at the Fulton County Sheriff's Department, he had a name and contact information but was unsure of how to approach this man's loved ones. He wanted to know more about him so he searched the internet to see if there were any profiles or posts on social media. He found more than one for Michael Anthony and scrolled through his photos daily.

Michael had a beautiful family, immediate and extended, and a host of friends and associates. He was an attorney with an appreciation for art, wine, travel, photography, and sports. Rick was thankful for this man's kindness and generosity but he found himself drawn time and time again to the image of his wife. Her eyes seem to practically sparkle in each photo, her smile bright and dazzling, her skin smooth and practically flawless. There was photo after photo of her and their young son. They were an active family and seemingly happy. He can't imagine the grief they must be suffering with the loss of him. That is the only thing preventing him from contacting her. He doesn't want to intrude but wants to find a way to relay how grateful he is.

A month passes and Rick learns of a social event hosted by the heart donor/recipient partnership. One of the nurses who helped him during his hospital stay after the surgery resides on the board for the organization so he enlists her help in inviting the family of his donor. Maggie Rhee proved to be kind and generous and very persuasive. Of course she had to contact Mrs. Anthony more than once but she finally got a yes to the invitation. Now all she can do is hope that she will actually follow through as this seems to be important to Mr. Grimes as it is to a lot of patients.

The day of the social arrives and Rick is a bundle of nerves. He looks in the mirror and wonders about the possibilities of today's event. _Will she even show up? What will I say? Should I say anything? Maybe it's too soon for her?_ The doorbell brings him out of his reflections and he checks his appearance one last time before exiting the master bathroom.

His mom was opening the door and inviting Morgan inside as he made his way into the living area. Morgan Jones is his best friend and he decided to invite him to the event, giving his parents some time to themselves. They all greet each other and exchange small talk before Rick and Morgan leave together. On the drive over, Morgan is sure to ask after Rick's health and ensure that he is up for attending this event.

"I'm feeling pretty good. I just….I think I should try to thank his family. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him," Rick relays.

"Understood. I guess I should be thanking them too. Not sure what I'd do without you around," Morgan admits.

"Thank you."

They arrive at the hotel several minutes before the event was scheduled to begin. Maggie informed him that it was not a formal event but he felt the need to look decent so he donned a nice navy blue suit but kept it simple by wearing a plaid shirt and no tie.

He smooths his hair back for the fifth time and asks, "I look ok?"

Morgan frowns. "What's with you tonight? I thought you said you were feeling good."

"I'm fine. I just….want to make a good first impression."

Morgan is slightly confused but ignores his friend's apprehension as he exits the car, retrieving a parking ticket from the valet.

Minutes later, they are entering one of the hotel's multiple ballrooms and wondering at the scarce amount of people mingling about. Rick recognizes Maggie and is relieved to see her as she quickly makes her way to him, accompanied by a dark haired gentlemen.

"Mr. Grimes…Rick, I'm so glad you could make it," she greets him. "I know it doesn't look like much now but it's still early. We usually get a pretty good crowd."

Rick nods. "Good. I hate to admit it but I'm just a bit nervous."

"That's not unusual but you'll be fine." She turns to the gentleman at her side. "This is my husband, Glenn. Glenn, this is Rick Grimes."

The two shake hands as Rick introduces Morgan. Maggie tells them to feel free to mingle and get something to drink as she moves off to greet other attendees.

An hour later, Rick is convinced that Mrs. Anthony decided not to attend as he listens to another exchange between a donor's family and recipient. The stories shared are heart wrenching and hopeful at the same time. He accepts that he will have to send the Anthony family some sort of gift to show his gratitude. He turns to Morgan at his side and was about to tell him he was ready to leave when he notices Maggie walking in their direction with a beautiful dark skinned woman at her side. He recognizes her immediately but realizes that the photos hardly did her justice as he couldn't imagine that she was even more stunning than the images he saw.

He swallows nervously as he drinks in her auburn tinted hair, her dark soulful eyes, and full pink shaded lips. She is dressed in a yellow dress, her slender shoulders on display, a wide belt encasing her tiny waist, the skirt of the dress swaying with her heeled strides. He wants to smile but feels frozen in time as they approach him.

Maggie places a reassuring hand on his shoulder as she says, "Rick this is Michonne Anthony, Michael's wife. Michonne, this is Rick Grimes."

Rick stands slowly as his heart begins to hammer in his chest. He extends his hand and gives a firm but gentle shake as soon as she places her hand in his. "I….it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you. You as well," she states simply.

Rick looks to Morgan. "This is my best friend, Morgan Jones."

Morgan stands and extends his hand as Michonne extends hers and gives her name. He offers her his chair, pulling it out for her and smiles as she takes a seat. He then turns to Rick and gives him a nod as he and Maggie leave the two alone at their table.

Rick almost panics at being left alone with her but takes the seat next to hers and asks politely, "Would you like something to drink?"

"No thank you."

"I….uh….did you come alone?"

"No. My best friend is here as well. She had to make a stop in the ladies room but I didn't want to prolong this. I almost didn't come. It's been….." She trails off as she feels she was being too free with this stranger.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I truly am but I wanted to convey my gratitude. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your husband," Rick states.

She gives a slight nod. "He would be very proud of that fact." She closes her eyes for a second then asks, "How are you doing? Are you feeling ok?"

"I'm feeling great actually….better than I've felt in a long time."

"That's good," she lapses into silence, not sure what she should say next, wishing Sasha would come find her or something.

Rick goes silent as well and nearly jumps when she clears her throat and wonders, "What….what happened to you? Why did you need a transplant?" She pauses and rushes on with, "If you don't mind me asking."

"No. I don't mind." He briefly explains his genetic condition and how it progressed into heart failure. "But the doctor assures me everything looks fine and I'm expected to have a normal lifespan thanks to your husband."

"I…..that's great." She drops her eyes to her hands folded in her lap. "I should probably check on Sasha. Are we supposed to address the audience or anything like that?"

"It's an option but I understand how fresh this is for you so I wouldn't expect anything like that. Honestly, I just wanted to thank you. This means more to me than I will ever be able to express."

"I understand and I'm glad we did this. It means a lot."

They share a glance and Rick notes that his heart never slowed down in her presence although their exchange was pleasant and comforting. She moves to vacant her seat and he stands quickly to assist her. Maybe he moved too quickly because his vision begins to blur and his heart seems to race even faster.

He exhales soundly and grabs the back of the chair for balance.

"Mr. Grimes, are you alright?" Michonne panics as his knees seem to give way and she grabs him around his waist hoping she can prevent him from falling. She manages to maneuver him into the chair he just vacated, relieved that neither of them ended up on the floor.

"Sor….sorry," he apologizes. "I….don't…..know….."

"Please. Don't try to talk. It's fine."

Rick looks into her eyes and detects the concern, the panic. He is slightly amazed that she'd be worried about him, a complete stranger.

She stands to get someone's attention but keeps a reassuring hand on him, letting him know that she is not going anywhere. She steps back when medical professionals attending the event rush over and start examining him.

An hour later, Rick is sitting up on an examining table having been seen by the emergency room doctor and his personal physician who was called in as a precaution. He is thankful for the care, concern, and accuracy with which this was handled. His doctor assured him that he was still in good condition. He only seemed to have suffered from a small bout of over exertion. His doctor compared it to the heart rate of someone just ending a running sprint and asked him to be more careful and aware of his activities in the future.

Rick thanked him and watches thoughtfully as the doctor exited the area. He wonders at his reaction and surmises that he just got up too quickly from the chair. His reaction couldn't have possibly been due to Mrs. Anthony's presence _or could it_? He wasn't too out of it as he informed Morgan not to call his parents. They'd panic and he just did not want to put them through any more than he already had.

He reaches for his shirts as the attending nurse was kind enough to lay them within reach. He hears an audible gasp and looks toward the entrance to see Mrs. Anthony standing there. His eyes lock with hers before she drops hers to his chest, zeroing in on the long reddish scar from his surgery and then politely gives him her back.

"Sorry. They said they were releasing you and Morgan went to bring the car around and I just wanted to check and be sure you were ok and….sorry," she apologizes and realizes she is talking too fast and is more nervous than she should be. "I'll leave."

"No. It's fine." He quickly dons his t-shirt then pulls on his plaid shirt. "I'm decent."

She slowly turns around to face him, her eyes going to his hands as they button his shirt. She quickly focuses elsewhere and asks, "Are you ok?"

"The doctor said everything's fine. I think I moved just a bit too fast but I'm ok." A thought hits him and he has to know. "You…came here and….waited?"

"I….yeah. Sasha and Morgan too. Maggie and her husband came by but they had to pick their son up from the babysitter at a certain time. She said she'd be in touch," Michonne relays.

Rick nods. "Thank you. That means a lot."

"Well I'm glad you're ok. I should probably head home."

Rick steps down slowly off the examining table. "Please let me walk you out."

"That's not necessary. I…."

"I insist," Rick cuts off her, grabbing his jacket and gesturing for her to proceed him as they exit.

**A/N: It's so hard to write one shots with these two. Part II is posted.**


	44. A Gifted Heart Part II Chapter 44

Richonne (Short Love Stories) A Gifted Heart Part II (Chapter 44)

_Present Day_

Rick stares at his cell phone, wondering if he should call his friend just to say hello or to offer his help with her move. He's planning to be there on moving day of course but maybe he could help with the packing and preparing. He starts as his cell unexpectedly chimes, alerting him to an incoming call. He picks it up and notes the ID, a bit disappointed that it wasn't her.

"Hello," he answers after the third ring.

"Ahh…you answered. Great! What are you doing?" Morgan asks.

Rick looks around his apartment, the lack of noise and activity palpable. "Nothing much. What's up?"

"How about a game of pool? We haven't done anything in a while so let's get out tonight."

"I don't know."

Morgan sighs. "Come on. What else is going on?"

Rick hesitates for only a second. "Alright. Be here in 20 or I change my mind."

"On my way."

They travel further out to a place that is geared towards families. It was a huge arena like set up with video games, rock climbing, bumper cars, virtual sports simulators, etc. Rick had been there before as he and the sheriff's department treated his group of mentees to a day of fun. He remembers it vividly as Andre and Michonne accompanied him. It is also one of the few places that is completely smoke free. He had to be more vigilant about smoke free environments since before his surgery but even more so afterwards.

He and Morgan get set up for a game of pool quickly, ordering drinks as well. He was content with a diet coke while Morgan had a beer. The latter sets up his break to begin the game and asks casually, "So you talk to her yet?"

Rick takes a sip of his drink. "Who?"

Morgan gives him a pointed look before taking his shot and watching as the balls scatter across the table.

Rick rolls his eyes, knowing exactly who Morgan is mentioning but doesn't know where to begin with her. "No."

"What are you waiting for?"

"She was married to the guy whose heart saved my life. She loved him. How can I expect her to feel anything for me knowing that? It's probably best we remain friends. I mean, obviously that's all she wants. Otherwise…."

"Otherwise what?" Morgan huffs. "Are you going to tell me you're waiting for her to make a move on you?"

Rick considers the question then answers, "Well yeah. The ball's in her court right?"

"How does she know the ball's in her court if you've never even placed the ball there?"

"So you're saying I should tell her?"

"It's only what I've been telling you for weeks now. Why are you afraid to take a chance? I don't think you've ever felt this way about anyone. Why let that slip away?"

"I don't want to ruin what's already there. She's been a really good friend. I'm crazy about Andre. If telling her how I feel compromises that then maybe I should just keep my mouth shut."

"But what if she feels the same way you do? You two could have something beautiful together. She's not immune to you, man. I've seen the way she looks at you."

"Really?"

"It's time for you to take a chance on what you want. Don't let her get away."

_Twelve months ago_

Michonne arrives home to a quiet and dark house. Her son was spending the week with Mike's parents and she assured her parents that she'd be fine alone for the first time since the accident. The pain is ever present and she truly misses her husband but tonight for the first time in weeks she felt something other than a heaviness in her heart. She's not sure if it was just doing something different, the atmosphere itself, or the people she'd met.

She thinks back to her last moments with Rick Grimes and how he insisted that she and Sasha allow Morgan to drive them to their car parked in the hospital's garage even though it was within walking distance of the emergency room. He even got out and opened her door for her as Morgan did the same for Sasha. She knew without a doubt that he should be taking it easy but he insisted that he could open a door with no issues. It was quite….endearing. She shakes her head to clear it and locks in on a photo of her, Andre, and Mike on their last vacation together before the accident.

The tears start to flow yet again as she never imagined a life without him. Never imagined that she'd be a single parent, trying her best not to break down each day when her three year old asks after his daddy. She explained as best as she could that his dad had gone to heaven to be with other relatives and friends and that they'd see him again one day but it might be a very long time. Some days he accepted the answer and some days he'd demand that she call his daddy so he could tell him to come home.

It was enough to make her think she was going insane with the grief but she knew she had to hold it together for him. Most days were fine but at night when she'd crawl into bed on her own even at her parents' house as her old room was their room when they visited, the pain of his absence would surround her and she'd cry herself to sleep most nights than not. She held it together a lot better when Andre asked to sleep with her but he was such an independent little one that rarely happened.

She showered, checked in with Andre, her parents, and Sasha before climbing into bed and powering on the TV. For some reason, the sound of the set helped her to sleep better at night.

_Mike, I miss you…so much. I wish it were all a dream and tomorrow when I wake up, you'd be here with me….again. _She burrows in deeper, adjusting her pillows before closing her eyes and welcoming slumber. She feels herself slowly drifting off when a pair of bright, blue eyes flash in her memory. She gasps and opens her eyes suddenly, wondering at the image. She frowns with confusion and closes her eyes again, praying for a peaceful rest.

The following week proves to be a busy one as she was working from home part-time, finalizing some of Mike's affairs, and packing up the last of his belongings to give to his parents. They wanted to take their time going through items before giving some of them away to goodwill. She decided to keep a sweater of his that she loved, an old tattered shirt that she teased him about, his wedding band, and several photos. It was so hard letting go of a huge part of your life when you weren't expecting it. She thought throwing herself back into work would help ease the pain but it was a mistake trying to go back so soon so her boss approved her for a leave of absence. She recently accepted assignments on a part-time basis and that seemed to be working well.

Rick Grimes enters her thoughts again and she wonders how he is faring after his visit to the emergency room. She realizes she probably should've asked for his contact information the night of the social but she wasn't thinking along those lines at all. She retrieves Maggie Rhee's business card from her purse and dials her work extension. Her call is answered on the fourth ring and Maggie was more than happy to give her Rick's cell number although she ensured that she'd checked in with him and he was fine.

Michonne was sure to thank her and ended the call after the two of them made plans to meet for lunch in the near future. She stares at the number she scribbled onto a nearby notepad and contemplates using it. She knows if she thinks about it too hard, she will convince herself not to call so she dials the number without any further consideration.

He answers on the second ring and she almost disconnects but returns his greeting and identifies herself.

"Hi. How are you?" He asks.

"Hi. I'm fine. As I matter of fact, I was calling to see how you were doing. I uh….I got your number from Maggie Rhee. I hope that's ok. I mean, I hope you don't mind that I called you."

"No, of course I don't mind. I'm doing fine and I'm glad you thought enough to check on me."

"I was…just concerned for you." There is an awkward pause and she rushes to fill the silence and blurts, "Would you like to meet for some coffee? Well I'm really not a coffee drinker but I always like a nice cup of tea." She cringes as she can't believe she asked him to meet her.

"That sounds nice. I have a doctor's appointment in an hour but I could meet you around 11:30. Is that ok?"

"Yes, that's fine." She gives him a location and finalizes their plans before ending the call. She places her cell phone on the table and wrings her hands nervously, unsure why things unfolded the way they just did. It was all on her as she was the one to do the asking but she's confused as to what propelled her to ask.

She arrives at the coffee shop at 11:35 and Rick is there seated and waiting. She smiles and joins him, taking in his black shirt and jeans.

"Hi. Thanks for coming."

He stands to pull her chair out for her. "Hi. Thanks for inviting me. You look great." He eyes her from head to toe and Michonne is surprised by the compliment especially since she is wearing a simple shrug, skinny jeans, and flats. It warms her in an unexpected way.

"Thank you. How was your doctor's visit?"

"It went well. Next week will determine if I can start seeing him once a month."

"That's good."

A waitress stops by to take their orders which they give promptly.

Michonne is still questioning how she found herself here and her need to find out more about him. "So have you been able to return to work?"

"No, not yet. I'm hoping to return part time in another month or so," he explains.

"I'm on a part time basis as well. I think I tried to go back too soon. I guess I was hoping keeping busy would help me cope better. It kind of made things worse."

"I'm really sorry. I can't imagine what you're going through," he sympathizes.

"It's been one of the hardest things I've ever dealt with," she returns.

The waitress serves their orders as Rick asks, "And Andre? How is he holding up?"

"Some days are better than others but….." She stops mid-sentence wondering how he knew about Andre as she distinctly recalls that she never mentioned having a son. _Could this have been some information that was in Mike's profile or something?_ "How do you know about Andre?"

He looks away somewhat guiltily, realizing that he was going to have to reveal the truth. "My job….I'm a deputy with the sheriff's department so I did a little digging to find out more about my donor, about Mike. I saw some of his social media pages and you and Andre were there, so…." He notices the change in her immediately and rushes on to reassure her. "I swear it was for information only. I truly wanted to reach out to his family, to you, to thank you and show my gratitude."

Michonne hears his words and she understands that maybe he didn't mean any harm but this feels like an invasion of privacy. She looks at the man seated across from her and wonders who he truly is. All of a sudden what she was feeling earlier, the connection with him seems misplaced somehow. "I really think I should go."

"Please don't. Listen I'm sorry. I just wanted to know more about him. That's all."

"No it's fine. Thank you for meeting me." She stands and rushes out of the coffee shop. She looks back to be sure he isn't following her and makes her way to her car where she promptly enters, starts the engine, and drives off.

She dials up Sasha and relays the situation to her, feeling like an idiot for being pulled in by him.

"Well what are you so upset about? They were social media pages. Anybody can access those."

"But he knew about Andre. I never told him about Andre. He asked about him like….like he knew him," Michonne states.

"I didn't get a bad vibe from him. He seemed like a decent enough guy. Wait a minute. What were you doing with him anyway?"

"I…that's not the point and don't change the subject. I felt….I don't know. It felt wrong all of a sudden," Michonne admits.

"What felt wrong?"

"Nothing. Just forget about it. I'll talk to you later." Michonne disconnects the call and drives to her local gym. Maybe a good work out would help her to focus on what's important right now.

Two weeks pass and things go back to normal in a sense. Andre returns home and she throws herself into caring for him and continuing her slow but sure trek back to full time status at her job. She is surprised that Rick Grimes hasn't called although she is sure he has her number. She surmises that maybe it was for the best. There was something about him that was a bit unsettling _or was it just me_?

She is at the grocery store, trying to convince Andre that he doesn't need three different cereals when the little one gasps and yells, "Hi Mr. po-lice man!" She looks up and wants to gasp herself as Rick Grimes is making his way towards them. He is dressed in his deputy's uniform and her heart skips a beat before it starts racing at the sight of him.

She wants to give in to the excitement of seeing him again but immediately puts a wall up as she determines that she shouldn't be so attracted to him. _I just lost my husband_. She reminds herself of his invasion into their privacy and that is all the ammo she needs.

"Hi there." He drops down to his haunches in front of Andre. "How are you?"

"I'm three. How are you?" Andre answers.

Rick smiles. "I'm doing fine. Thanks for asking."

"Are you here to afvest somebuddy?"

"No. I'm not here to arrest anybody. Just buying some groceries." He tips his hat to acknowledge Michonne and she gives him a small smile.

"Can I touch your star?"

"Andre, no. We shouldn't….."

"It's fine," Rick assures. He smiles as the little one reaches forward and glides his fingertips across the shiny gold badge. "So do you want to be a policeman when you grow up?"

"I sure do. I want a star and a gun and a big car with noise and lights. Do you have a big car with noise and lights?"

"I do. Would you like to see it?"

"Oohhh…can I Mommy? Please," Andre begs.

Michonne hides her irritation, quelling the need to tell her son no. "We really shouldn't bother the officer son. We….."

Rick stands. "It's no bother. I'll wait for you to finish your shopping."

"NO! I wanna see it now!" Andre exclaims.

"Andre….." Michonne starts but Rick looks down at the little one and says, "Let's allow your mom to finish shopping and then we'll go the car. Is that ok?"

"You won't change your mind or go away?"

"I won't change my mind or go away. I promise," Rick states.

"Ok." Andre turns to his mom and fists her skirt. "Come on mommy. Hurry up."

Michonne shows her surprise that he backed down and actually listened to Rick, a stranger. She shrugs. _Well he is a police officer_. She shares a look with Rick and mouths, "Thank you" as she and Andre move on.

Twenty minutes later, she was in the parking lot, standing nearby as Rick sat in the driver's seat of his squad car with Andre in his lap, pointing out different gadgets and buttons and explaining what they are used for. She can't help but smile as Andre is beyond excited and the happiest she has seen him in a while. She practically had to use her 'firm' voice to try and coax him away. A few reassuring words from Rick and he was complying. She didn't know if she should be thankful or resentful of the ease he seemed to have with her son.

He walks them to her car and waits patiently while she secures Andre in his safety seat. He even loaded in her groceries earlier.

She closes the door and faces him. "That was really nice of you. I appreciate it."

"I was happy to do it." He pauses. "Listen. I'm sorry about what happened before. I honestly only sought the information because I wanted to thank you. That's all."

"It's fine, Rick. Maybe I….overreacted. Things have….this has been an adjustment," she admits.

"I understand. Two things. I'm supervising a mentor program through the Sheriff's department. I've been released to return to work but with restrictive duties so this is part of it. I'd love it if you allowed Andre to join but no pressure." He gives her his business card. "You can verify everything with my boss. The other thing…..can we have a do over with the coffee? My treat."

She looks at the card then brings her eyes back to his. She wants to deny it all, shout at him to go away as he is having some sort of effect on her, an effect she doesn't understand. "Ok." She cringes as she is thinking one thing but acting out another.

He smiles. "So that's a yes?"

She returns his smile. "Yes, I'll look into the program but I'm sure Andre would love it and yes to a do over with the coffee."

"Can I call you tomorrow?" He asks cautiously.

She gives him an affirming nod. "We should get home." She moves to open the driver's door but Rick beats her to it, opening her door with a tip of his hat. _Who is this man_? "Thank you." She enters the car, setting her purse in the passenger's seat.

"Bye Rick!" Andre shouts from the back seat, waving wildly.

"Bye Andre. Have a good night ok?"

"Ok."

He looks to Michonne. "Have a good night."

"You too." She starts the engine after he closes her door firmly. She reverses out of the parking space slowly, her eyes going to Rick repeatedly as he stands close by watching them. She puts the car in drive and moves forward, looking at him in her rearview mirror, watching as he returns to his squad car.

"Rick is nice. I like Rick," Andre announces.

"I do, too."

**A/N: More to come. I promise.**


	45. A Gifted Heart Part III Chapter 45

Richonne (Short Love Stories) A Gifted Heart Part III (Chapter 45)

**A/N: Thank you so much for the continued support. **

_Ten months ago_

Rick continues to work on a part-time schedule but is confident that he will return to full-time in only a matter of weeks. His visits to the doctor are now on a monthly basis and his reports with each appointment are positive. He has tried to convince his parents to return home to King County but they won't hear of it. The doctor gave him a recovery span of six months and that's how long they plan to stay. He is thankful for the company as living alone and being single does have its lonely moments. He just doesn't want to get too dependent on them. He will still have to cook for himself and do his laundry, etc. after they depart.

He watches his mom flit from the island/bar to the stove as she serves him and his dad breakfast. They talk jovially but he doesn't comprehend the conversation as his mind drifts to Michonne and he wonders what she and Andre are having for breakfast. The past two months have been good. He sees them at least once a week since she allowed Andre to participate in the mentor program and once the session ends, the two of them have been known to converse afterwards. The other parents grab their kids and make their way out but Michonne lingers and he likes that.

Their do over at the coffee shop went well and he'd like to ask her out again but doesn't want to appear pushy or eager. Meeting for coffee was initially her idea so he felt comfortable with that. Asking on his own was entirely different. _What if she took it the wrong way? What if she thinks it's a date? Would it be a date?_ Because he can't answer those questions or even figure out a way to get them answered, he decides to leave well enough alone and just enjoy the time they spend together.

"Did you hear me son?" Arthur asks.

Rick looks to his father having realized he was speaking to him. "I'm sorry. What was that?"

"Carl. Won't he be coming to visit soon?" Arthur repeats.

"Oh yeah. He'll have Spring Break in two weeks," he answers.

"Good. I can't wait to see him," Ms. Gladys inputs.

Rick continues the conversation with his parents, giving them his full attention before he departs for work.

Meanwhile, Michonne is having difficulty getting Andre ready for preschool. He doesn't want to wear his new sneakers. He wants to wear the old dirt encrusted ones that she should've thrown out with the trash.

"Son you are not wearing your old shoes. Now come on before we're late," Michonne advises.

"But I don't wanna wear those," Andre informs.

"You chose these shoes remember? You said you liked them at the store. We tried them on and everything and now you don't like them?"

"I can run faster in my other shoes."

Michonne closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and releases it. "Ok. How about I tell Rick you've been misbehaving?" She regrets it as soon as it is said. She's not even sure what made her say it. Rick has influence with her son but using it seems wrong somehow. It reminds her of the many times she uttered _'I'll tell your dad'_.

"Oh mommy please don't tell Rick. I'll wear the new shoes," Andre says as he sits down and stretches his legs out so she can put his shoes on.

She feels even worse with his cooperation. "Don't worry. I won't say anything to Rick but you better behave or we won't attend your session this week." That felt a whole lot better than using Rick's name directly. She cringes inwardly, thanking her lucky stars that he's still too young to comprehend certain things.

She recalls the sessions as there have only been four so far. She and Rick spoke leading up to the official start of the program and now she sees him at least once a week. Although the sessions have been good for her son, she wonders if they are necessary, asking herself if she only signed him up as a means to have some contact with Rick.

She gives herself a mental shake. _The sessions are for Andre. That's it. Why would I need contact with Rick Grimes?_ She scoffs inwardly as she ties the little one's shoes and tells him to grab his backpack as they exit the house.

XXXXXXXXXX

They are visiting a local library for this week's session and Michonne wonders if Rick comes up with these ideas on his own or if there is some guide book he follows. He usually has assistance from another deputy but she doesn't see Deputy Walsh tonight. Luckily the group isn't a large one. Only five boys are in attendance as the program has yet to be advertised. It makes sense to start out small as this is the first year the Sheriff's Department has incorporated this program.

She sits close by, thumbing through today's newspapers but steals glances at Rick and checks to ensure Andre is behaving himself. The oldest child in the group is seven but Rick continues to relay how important reading is and enlists their help in finding a book for him to read. She takes notice as soon as he starts to tell the story. She sits the paper aside and is just as attentive as the boys while he reads. The deep, southern drawl, the smoothness in his diction draws her in and she finds herself admiring his profile. _He really is a handsome man._ It is almost as if she projected that thought out loud because at that precise moment, his eyes find hers. She glances away immediately, unable to hold his gaze just in case there was something in her eyes that maybe shouldn't have been there.

She is relieved that he continues reading, his slight diversion undetected. She listens but keeps her gaze safely on the boys, delighting in their interest in the story. Afterwards, Rick asks and answers questions about what he'd read, engaging the children effortlessly. She wonders if he ever considered education as a vocation.

The session ends and Michonne lingers as she always does. Rick makes his way to her side after saying goodbye to the other children and parents. He lifts his hand for a high five from Andre and tells him how glad he is that he enjoyed the story.

"Can we come back to read again?" Andre asks.

"Of course we can," Rick answers, enthused that he might be able to add the library to his list of frequents. He is still learning but so far, so good.

He and Michonne exchange small talk as they normally do and soon he is walking them to her car.

Michonne speaks before she thinks, something she notes happens more often than it should in his presence. "Andre and I are going for pizza. Would you like to join us?" She cringes as a thought comes to her and rushes on, "I'm sorry. Can you eat pizza?" She knows he's on a restricted diet and didn't want to be insensitive.

Rick gives a small laugh, noticing her apprehension and wanting to reassure her. "I can eat pizza Michonne. Just not every day."

She relaxes with relief. "Good. I mean, you don't have to join us if you don't want to. I just…."

"I'd love to join you."

Her heart flutters with excitement or maybe it was her stomach. Either way, she is more than happy to be spending more time with him.

He is just as elated as she is, his heart pumping and his face muscles tense as he tries to contain the smile that wants to burst free. They leave the library and he follows her to the pizza parlor.

An hour later, they are sitting back having enjoyed the meal, the atmosphere, and the company, regretting that the night has to come to an end. Their waitress brings the check over and Rick immediately reaches for it.

Michonne snatches it out of his hand. "It's my treat tonight."

"I don't mind paying for it."

"I know you don't but it's my turn. You can get the next one," she informs him.

_Next one?_ _Does that mean we'll do this again?_ Rick smiles with the thought as they prepare to exit the restaurant.

Two weeks pass and Carl has arrived for his week-long visit. The grandparents are elated and Rick is as well. He looks forward to the time he has with his son as it seems so fleeting nowadays. He had polled the mentor program parents about their preferences for Spring Break and most opted to forego a session that week since majority would be on vacation. Michonne is still in town as she is getting acclimated to working a full schedule. Plus, Andre's preschool remained in operation so this would be a routine week for them.

He can't imagine not seeing her although they did speak briefly over the phone this week. He calls her at the office and invites her and Andre to dinner with him and Carl. She declines at first, relaying that he should spend as much time with Carl as possible.

"Well, I was hoping we could let the boys meet and I kinda wanna see my favorite little person," he admits.

She smiles, wondering at the uncanny connection between the two once again. She knows her son would miss seeing him as well so she gives in. "Fine. What time and where?"

They finalize the arrangements and end the call.

Hours later, Michonne and Andre are walking through the doors of a family oriented restaurant complete with a game room and ice cream parlor. Rick and Carl were seated in the lobby area, waiting for them. She smiles when she sees them and notes that Carl's eyes are identical to his father's.

Rick makes the introductions and they move forward to be seated by the hostess. They occupy a booth with Rick and Carl on one side facing Michonne and Andre on the other. The youngest in the group becomes animated almost immediately and starts talking and asking questions, all of them directed at Rick.

Michonne politely asks him to quiet down and wait for Rick to answer his question before asking another. She detects that he may not like sharing Rick with Carl but hopes the two will warm to each other. She turns her attention to the menu placed in front of her and tries to decide what to order as the others do.

They then peruse the menus and try to decide what to order.

Carl listens to the easy banter between his dad and his 'friend' and wonders just what kind of 'friend' Michonne is. His mom had friends before she married his stepdad and he's not sure if he wants his dad to have any 'friends'.

After the waitress takes their orders, there is a slight silence before Rick begins to share Carl's sports achievements like any proud father would. Michonne listens attentively, complimenting Carl with a smile.

Andre looks from his mom to Rick to Carl and back to Rick. "We play sports too. We're going to a baseball game."

"We sure are. Andre is participating in the Sheriff's Department's mentor program," Rick explains. "I told you about it in one of my emails remember?"

Carl nods. "I remember. So what else do you do?" He looks to Michonne. "Are you a part of the program too?"

"No. I work for the district attorney's office but we should probably incorporate a mentor's program. I think it's a great idea."

"So you and my dad don't work together but you're still friends?" Carl asks.

Rick nods as does Michonne, the former confirming their friendship.

"Well, what kind of friends are you? Just really friends or the other type of friends?" Carl asks.

Rick gasps, unable to believe that his son would insinuate anything untoward between himself and Michonne. "Carl….we answered your question. We're friends. Now I don't know what you're insinuating but I don't appreciate your tone." He gives his son a firm look. "Apologize to Michonne."

Andre narrows his eyes at Carl as the latter utters an apology to his mom. "You don't want my mommy to be friends with Rick?"

The waitress arrives with their food and Rick and Michonne are completely relieved for the distraction. He gives her a reassuring smile that she returns before they all dig in.

Later, they move off to the game room, giving the boys enough change to play whatever games they choose. Rick and Michonne walk around curiously, keeping an eye on their children but conversing and enjoying each other's company.

They were standing by a pinball machine as Rick is trying to decide if he wants to play or not. He relays that it has been several years but she encourages him all the same, promising to join him. They were just about to insert some coins when Michonne looks up to see Andre punch Carl in the stomach then kick him in the shin.

She gasps and races over to them, grabbing Andre and demanding that he apologize to Carl. "Why would you do that?"

"I….I…." Andre struggles to get his words out as the tears start to stream down his face.

Michonne turns to Carl. "Did he hurt you? I'm so sorry. I don't know what's wrong with him." She looks to Rick as he places a hand on Carl's shoulder, inquiring if he is ok. She returns her attention to her son. "What is wrong with you?"

"I…WANT…MY…DADDY!" Andre shouts with all of his might as the tears start to flow freely.

Michonne panics, glancing around at the semi crowded game room then drops to her knees in front of her son. "Andre I'm sorry….." She pulls him toward her for a hug but he struggles and pushes her away.

"NO!" He tries to run but Rick rushes forward and detains him, taking him into his arms, lifting his small body with ease. He cradles him gently, whispering soothing, calming words and telling him it would be ok.

"I….I better get him home," Michonne suggests as she squeezes her clutch, trying to hold her emotions at bay. She leads the way as Rick carries a crying Andre and Carl follows behind them slowly. The patrons in the restaurant glance at them curiously but she ignores them as she makes her way to her vehicle.

Rick reaches into his pocket and gives Carl the keys to his car, informing him to wait. He then places Andre in his safety seat, continuing to try and sooth him as he secures him. He wipes his tears as best as he is able, all the while telling him to calm down.

Michonne stands by the door, trying not to wring her hands but feeling a tenseness that she thought had left her weeks ago. She attempts to control her shaking as she watches Andre rest his head against his seat, his breaths hitching as he closes his eyes. Her own tears begin to well and she swallows anxiously after inhaling and exhaling deeply.

Rick rubs the back of his neck, glad that the little one had calmed down and appeared to be on his way to sleep. He looks to Michonne and tries to give her some reassurance. He notices the tears in her eyes and the concerned expression on her face and takes a step toward her.

"Thank…..you." She takes a deep breath. "I don't know….why he acted out like that." She shakes her head as she is at a complete loss. She thought they were doing fine but maybe she was just fooling herself. She retrieves her keys from her clutch. "I'll….I'll call you later." She attempts to reach for the door but he touches her hand softly and takes the keys.

"I can't let you drive home like this. You're too upset. You need to calm down first."

She makes the egregious mistake of looking up at him. "I'm…..fine." The tears finally escape and continue to flow as he pulls her into his arms to comfort her. His warmth envelopes her and she loses herself in it, giving in to her grief, sharing her vulnerability. It felt good to lean on him, to know that she could.

He holds her close, wishing he could take away the pain and make it all normal again, for her and for Andre. It troubles him to feel so helpless so he does what he is able, offering any type of solace she will allow. He circles her back with a firm but gentle caress, feeling every quiver, every heartfelt sob.

She is not sure how long they stood there, how long she was in his arms but she slowly but surely begins to notice his scent, his intoxicating scent. She could feel an exceptional warmth at her cheek and quickly realizes that she is resting against the exposed skin of his chest where his shirt wasn't buttoned. A sensation floods through her, one she hasn't felt in months. She recognizes it instantly and jerks away with a sound gasp. She looks at him with confusion and awareness and an overwhelming sense to flee trumps any and everything she is experiencing.

"Michonne?" He questions cautiously.

She snatches her keys from his hand. "I'm sorry. I have to….I have to go." She climbs into her car hurriedly, starts it up and pulls out of the parking lot.

Rick watches her, wondering at her reaction and hasty departure. He knows he didn't do anything wrong. _Did I? _He shakes his head, making his way to his car and to Carl, hoping once again that she and Andre will be ok. He decides that he will call and check on them tomorrow.

"Are they going to be alright?" Carl asks, having witnessed Michonne's breakdown with his dad.

"I don't know but I hope so."

"What's wrong?"

Rick looks to his son, realizing that he needs to share Michonne's and Andre's story with him and how their lives have come to intersect his.


	46. A Gifted Heart Part IV Chapter 46

Richonne (Short Love Stories) A Gifted Heart Part IV (Chapter 46)

**A/N: Thank you so much for the continued support. **

Carl's eyes grow wide with interest as his father tells him the story of his heart transplant. He knew why the transplant was needed but never tired of hearing about it. He never understood how his mom could walk away from his dad not knowing if he would live or die. _Maybe she just didn't care anymore._

"I'm alive today because a good man decided to be an organ donor. He was killed in a car accident and I got his heart. Even though I'm happy to be alive, to be around for you a little longer, his death caused hurt for his family, his wife and child, Michonne and Andre."

Carl gasps at the mention of those names. "Is that why Andre screamed for his dad and why Michonne was crying?" With his father's nod, Carl sighs heavily. "I'm sorry dad. I didn't know."

"I know you didn't son and I'm not sharing this with you so you'll feel sorry for them. I just want you to understand their situation and be more considerate. They're good people and they're going through a really rough time right now. Andre doesn't fully understand what's happening. He's just missing his dad. That's a lot to carry for Michonne so I help out in any way that I can," Rick states.

"So are you going to be her new husband and Andre's stepdad now?"

Rick looks over at his son, trying to hide his frustration. "Did you listen to anythang I just said? They're my friends. Why do you keep harping on a relationship and would it be so bad?"

"You do like her like that. I knew it," Carl returns.

"You don't know anythang. For the last time, we're friends and that's that." He gives his son a skeptical look. "What did you say to Andre anyway? He was very upset."

Carl drops his eyes to his lap. "I didn't say anything….at first but he was being such a little butthead about his time with you, telling me about the program and what you guys do together. I was gonna ignore him but I got mad so I told him I was going to tell you that I beat him at air hockey and how proud you'd be….because…..because dads are always proud of their sons." He looks up at his father with tears shimmering in his eyes. "I….I didn't know he'd lost his dad. Now I feel really, really bad."

Rick sympathizes with his son, pulling him in for a hug. "First and foremost, there should be no competition whatsoever between you and Andre. You are my son and I love you. I'm spending time with Andre and trying to help him cope with his loss but that won't change my relationship with you. I'm always gonna be your dad no matter what. I know we don't spend as much time together as we should and maybe that will change in the future. Just know that no one can take your place in my life but I feel the need to be there for Andre too." He leans back to look at him. "Do you understand?" With his son's nod, he continues, "Good. Hopefully you can make it up to Andre somehow but you have to apologize first. I'll call Michonne in the morning and try to make that happen ok?"

"Ok," Carl agrees, genuinely hopeful that he can make things right with Andre and with Michonne. He hesitates for only a moment before saying, "I love you dad."

XXXXXXXXXX

Michonne is torn between anticipation and dread when the doorbell chimes. She knows it's Rick and Carl as she agreed that they could come over after breakfast. She is thankful that Carl wants to apologize to her and to Andre but last night brought a realization that she can't ignore. She is attracted to Rick and frankly appalled by it. Not because of him but because she just lost her husband and developing feelings for someone else should be the very last thing happening in her life at this point in time. Her only recourse is to start distancing herself from him somehow. She decided to allow this last visit and then she would try to contain their friendship in a way that would limit interaction.

She calls her son into the living area and they move to the door to answer it. Her heartbeat quickens as her eyes connect with his. Unbeknownst to her, his heartbeat starts to race as well. "Hi. Come on in." She invites, taking in his attire of running shoes, jeans, and T-shirt.

"Thank you." He and Carl step inside and he looks around curiously before bringing his eyes back to her, trying not to stare but appreciating her simple sundress and flip flops. He distracts himself by reaching down to offer his hand to Andre for a handshake. The little one obliges giving Rick a smile.

Carl sticks his hand out as well. "Hey. I'm….sorry about last night. I hope you're not still mad with me."

Andre looks to Carl, then to Rick and finally to his mom who gives him an encouraging nod. She talked with him earlier that morning and told him how happy Rick would be if he and Carl could be friends. He slowly lifts his hand and completes a handshake with Carl. "I'm sorry for kicking you and hitting you."

"It's ok," Carl returns.

Michonne and Rick breathe sighs of relief, glad they are off to a good start. She guides them into the kitchen, asking if they'd like something to drink or a snack.

"Uh….Michonne….I wanted to apologize to you too," Carl relays. "I'm sorry if I was rude in any way and I hope you can forgive me."

She gives him a smile. "It's fine Carl and your apology is accepted." She doesn't know much about Rick's son but realizes that being the product of divorce can't be easy. He is dealing with something just like Andre is.

Several minutes later the boys are in the backyard playing and Rick and Michonne are seated in the kitchen, keeping an eye on them through the patio doors.

"So how is he doing? Really?" Rick asks.

"Well he slept with me last night so that's a clear indication that he wasn't doing as well as I thought he was. I talked to my parents this morning and I think I'm going to visit with them for a bit. Maybe that will help us both feel a little better."

He takes a sip of his coffee as he contemplates what to say. "You don't consider that running away?"

She tilts her head. "How so?"

"I just mean….is this what you're going to do every time he has an episode?"

She tries to hide her agitation by looking out at her son and Carl playing together, glad that they are getting along. She turns back to Rick. "What would you have me do? You don't think I'm doing the best I can?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I was only trying to say that you're going to have to face this whether you want to or not. There will be good days as well as bad but you have to keep going."

"Are you speaking from experience?"

"Not quite. I just know how I felt when I got divorced. It felt like something or someone had died. I wanted to run away, hide from prying eyes, the sympathetic questions and comments. I know it's not the same thang but I hope it helps me to understand your pain just a bit."

"But you can take comfort in the fact that your ex is still alive, that maybe you two could even get back together some day," Michonne explains.

"That will never happen," Rick scoffs.

"It's a possibility…..something that I will never have no matter how much I want it for myself or my son so don't profess to understand my pain. It's something I hope you never have to experience."

"Michonne….I didn't mean to….."

"It's fine Rick. I know what you're trying to do and I appreciate it. I just have to work through this the best way I know how. Ok?"

"Ok." They continue talking but steer clear of anything that relates to what she and Andre are experiencing with Mike's death.

Meanwhile, Carl and Andre are slowly but surely getting reacquainted. Carl is trying to be extra careful around him and Andre is being cautious as well.

"Hey. My dad told me about your dad and I'm really sorry that happened. I know what it means to miss your dad though. I don't live with my dad so I miss him a whole lot when I'm gone," Carl tells him.

"But why don't you live with Rick? He still loves you right?"

"Yeah my dad loves me but my mom and dad got a divorce and my mom wanted me to live with her so I do," Carl explains.

"What's a di-force?"

"Divorce. It means that your mom and dad aren't married any more so they don't live together and wear their rings and stuff. It really sucks because I liked it when my mom and dad were married. Now my mom has a new husband and he's ok but he's not my dad."

"So you can't tell them to get married again?" Andre asks.

"You know we can't tell adults what to do."

"Well tell your mom you want to live with your dad."

"But then she'd be upset and I don't want to upset her."

"What about Rick? He is upset too," Andre reminds him.

Carl nods. "Yeah he probably is." He looks to Andre. "Would you do me a favor?"

"Ok."

"Would you kind of look after my dad for me while I'm not here? I know he really likes you and you like him so I think it's a good thing that you spend time together and stuff."

Andre smiles. "I think I can do that."

Carl smiles in return. "Thank you."

XXXXXXXXXX

Several weeks pass and things are almost back to as close to normal as possible for Rick. He was given a good slate of health by his physician, but still on restricted duties at work. His parents were able to return home but continue to visit bi-weekly. Carl was supposed to arrive for the summer but Lori asked if he could remain for another two or three weeks so he could vacation with her, her husband, and their parents. He wanted to protest but realized it would probably be a fight and he did not need the stress.

He sighs heavily when his thoughts turn to Michonne and Andre. His friendship with the latter continues to grow. They see each other each week for the mentor session and Michonne is usually there but she keeps her distance. She is cordial, makes the necessary small talk but keeps their conversations short and they haven't been to dinner or anything in a while.

He apologized when he first noticed the difference, thinking that maybe he overstepped his bounds when he told her going to her parents was running away from her situation. She assured him that he had done nothing wrong so he is completely at a loss for the shift in their friendship. He even invited her out but she is now working full-time again and spends a lot more time at work. He'd met her parents as they were the ones to accompany Andre to a couple of recent sessions. All he can do is accept what is. He's not sure what he expected with this friendship anyway.

Carl finally arrives and Rick decides to devote as much time as he can to his son. Between that, his job, his friends, and the program, he is more than busy and doesn't feel the absence of Michonne as profoundly as before. Of course, Carl notices and decides to ask what's going on.

"What do you mean?" Rick inquires.

"Well are you still friends with her?"

"Of course. She's just busy with work and taking care of Andre and I'm busy as well," Rick answers.

"So you don't want to date her anymore?"

"Who said I wanted to date her?"

Carl scoffs. "Come on dad. I saw the way you looked at her. You like her."

"Yeah….well….the situation is a delicate one and I really don't think she's open to that right now. I understand. It's fine."

"Are you going to wait until she is ready?"

Rick pauses, piecing his answer together slowly. "I think she'll be ready someday but I don't know if she'll ever see me like that."

"I think she does," Carl says.

"Why would you think that?"

"I mean. She looked at you the way you looked at her. That's why I thought you two were friends….but….more than friends."

"I thought it would've been nice at one point but it's obvious to me she doesn't want that and I have to respect her decision."

"But you haven't even talked about it," Carl exclaims.

"It doesn't matter Carl. She needs some space and that's fine," Rick retorts.

"Well just so you know….if you and Michonne were to start dating, I'd be ok with it. I think you deserve someone nice like her and maybe….she'd be a good wife for you."

Rick laughs. "Thanks for the blessing son but I don't think you'll have to worry about a stepmom for a long time still."

Michonne sits in her home office, trying her best to concentrate on the files in front of her but finds that she can't. It's the same as it has been before. She can get through her work hours with the bare minimum of distractions but once she is home and in a more relaxed atmosphere, her thoughts drift to Rick Grimes. It happens especially when her parents are around which is more so than not recently and they keep Andre occupied. She is grateful for their presence but knows she needs more to keep her completely focused on work.

Her cell phone chimes and she looks over curiously, her breathing increasing when she sees the name on the ID. She wants to ignore it but she can't. "Hello."

"Michonne? Hi. It's Carl."

She is happy to hear his voice, but disappointed that it wasn't the deep baritone of his dad. "Hey. How are you? Enjoying your summer?"

"I'm fine and yes. I always enjoy my time with dad. Are you and Andre doing ok?"

"We're fine. Thanks for asking."

"I uh…..I'd like Andre to come swimming with me tomorrow if that's ok. Dad and I can pick him up or you could bring him over if you want."

"That would be great Carl except Andre isn't as strong a swimmer as I'd like him to be even though he thinks he can out swim me." She laughs as Carl joins her.

"That's ok. I'll take care of him. I promise or….if you're not doing anything….maybe you could join us too. I've only seen you a couple of times since I've been here so it would be good to see you again."

For some unknown reason, a stab of guilt pierces her heart and she finds herself agreeing to meet them tomorrow. "Is your dad around? I'd like to verify that everything's ok with him."

Carl pauses for a just a second, wondering how his dad would react because he hadn't told him of his plans. He kind of wanted to surprise him. "He's uh….he's cooking dinner so hold on just a moment."

The young one cringes as he walks into the kitchen and hands his father the cordless phone. "It's for you."

Rick frowns as he wipes his hands on a nearby towel. He doesn't recall the phone ringing. "Hello."

Michonne closes her eyes, savoring the sound of his voice, not realizing just how much she missed talking with him. "Hey. It's Michonne. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?" Rick glares at his son, wondering what this call could be about. He finds out soon enough and even though he wants to give her an out and tell her she doesn't have to do this, he finds himself being selfish. He wants to see her and he doesn't care how it happens.

They discuss the arrangements and set a meet time before disconnecting the call.

Carl is cautious as he looks to his dad. "Are you mad?"

"Nope. Just don't do that again. Ok?"

"Ok."

The next day, she and Andre are at Rick's apartment enjoying the scenery and the view before preparing for a day by the pool. The boys are anxious to jump in so she outfits Andre with sunscreen and floaties and sends him off with Carl, sitting on a nearby lounger, grabbing sunscreen for herself as well.

Rick sits down next to her, loving the fact that they are the only ones by the pool so far and keeping an eye on the boys as well. "How's work coming along?"

"It's been good. How about you?"

"I'm still on restricted duty but maybe that will change soon. I'm finally done with my six months stint so it's just a matter of time."

"And you're feeling ok?"

"I feel great. I'm eating right, exercising several times a week, getting enough sleep…." He trails off. "Did I just describe the life of a much older man?"

They both laugh, knowing that his description was accurate. She grows serious for just a moment. "I….I just want you to know that I wasn't avoiding you. I'm just trying to keep going and I don't need any distractions."

"Distractions? Am I a distraction?"

"No, no. I didn't mean it like that." She swallows nervously. "You're a good friend, Rick and I appreciate that." She avoids his eyes at all costs.

Regardless of his feelings and what he wants to relay to her, he holds back and answers, "Thank you. You're a good friend too and I want to be there for you no matter what."

The squeals and laughter of their children draw their attention as Carl yells, "Come on in dad!"

Rick smiles at her before pulling his shirt over his head and squirting some sunscreen on before walking over to the edge of the pool where he pinches his nose closed and steps off the edge smoothly going into the water with a sound splash.

She watches as he pops up, pushing his hair out of his face. She would be lying to herself if she said she hadn't noticed the shapeliness of his broad shoulders, muscled and scarred chest, and flat abs when he took his shirt off. She compares it to the first time she saw him without a shirt, months ago in the emergency room and she deduces that exercise does do a body good….real good.

Andre calls for her and even though she knows she should keep her distance, she would not disappoint her son or herself if she is being honest.

She stands, slips off her flip flops and removes her cover up to reveal a bright red backless one piece with a mesh mid-section. She smiles knowingly as those deep blue eyes rove her from head to toe. This tug of war with her feelings emits such confusion but she pushes it to the side for now, determined to enjoy the time with her friend and their sons.

Rick admires how smooth her skin looks, his hands aching to touch her. Her body is a work of exquisiteness, plump full breasts, trim waist, slim but ample hips, toned thighs. His eyes lift up to her face and he takes in the gorgeous smile that reaches her eyes, making them glow. He returns the smile, not sure how he is going to make it through the remainder of the day after witnessing her in that swimsuit. He gives his attention to the boys, thinking to himself…._All I can do is try._


	47. A Gifted Heart Part V Chapter 47

Richonne (Short Love Stories) A Gifted Heart Part V (Chapter 47)

**A/N: Thank you so much for the continued support. **

_Present Day_

Moving day arrives and Michonne is determined to be in her new home in Senoia before Thanksgiving. It also appears that Sasha will get her wish because of course she is helping with the move as well as Rick, Morgan, Deputy Walsh, Paul, and Aaron. Her parents are taking care of Andre thankfully so they should get it all done over the weekend.

She watches Rick and he watches her while their friends watch them, wondering what they are waiting for. She made up her mind to start fresh weeks ago, purchasing a new home to get away from the constant memory of being in the home she shared with Mike. The next step was removing her rings which she did and placed them in one of her jewelry boxes. Now she just wants to kiss him more than she has ever wanted to kiss anyone. A tinge of guilt remains but her want of Rick is overriding everything else.

Hours later, they are at her new home taking a break as they just arrived. Deputy Walsh and Morgan drove one moving truck while Paul and Aaron drove another. Sasha and Michonne drove her car while Rick drove Michonne's older vehicle. She gave Mike's old vehicle to one of his nephews months ago.

She was standing in the garage with Paul, both of them sipping from bottles of water. He nudges her and says, "Sasha was all wrong about that one. He only has eyes for you so there's no way he's batting for my team."

Michonne smiles. "I knew that but you know how our buddy Sasha can be."

"So what are you waiting for? From what I hear, he's a great catch," Paul states.

She sighs. "I don't know. Maybe it's still too soon. Maybe he's not even interested in me that way. There are so many things that could go wrong."

Her friend turns his body to face her fully. "Why not consider all the things that could go right?"

She nods and looks out toward the end of the driveway where Rick was talking and laughing with Morgan. The temperature was cool but he only wore a black T-shirt and dark jeans. She had been out of the dating scene for so long that she's not even sure how things go nowadays but she's willing to give it a try….for him.

They work tirelessly and she is more than thankful for her friends but of course they lose the light soon so she orders pizzas and they all eat and drink together. She opts to eat the veggie pizza with Rick as the others turn up their noses.

"That is just not real pizza," Aaron says.

"It is too real pizza. You haven't even tried it so how would you know?" Michonne counters.

"It's really not bad at all," Rick states.

Later that night, Paul, Aaron, Morgan, Deputy Walsh, and Rick are preparing to leave. Sasha will stay the night and continue to help Michonne situate her new home. The latter is in her bedroom, wishing the weather were warmer so she could enjoy some time out on the balcony. She is going to love looking out over her new backyard and the woods beyond her fence. She hears a slight creak and turns to see Rick standing in the doorway.

"Hey. I was wondering where you were. We're getting ready to head out. You alright?"

"I'm fine. I can't wait for summer so I can really enjoy my balcony." She looks longingly at the doors and Rick gives her a smile as he walks inside.

"Who says you can't enjoy it now? Come on. It's not that bad." He grabs her hand and opens the double doors, stepping onto the balcony with her. "This is a really nice view." He looks up at the brightness of the moon, admiring the clear night skies.

She steps up beside him, still holding onto his hand, relishing in his warmth. "Thank you. I know this move was a huge endeavor so I appreciate your help."

"It was nothing. So are you going to need some help tomorrow? I can come back you know."

"That would be nice."

"Alright. Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow." He makes a move to walk away but she squeezes his hand, detaining him.

"Rick?"

He looks over to her. "Yeah?"

"I….." She lifts her eyes to his….._fuck it!_ She throws caution to the wind and places her lips against his. She can feel him tense up then he is pulling away, searching her eyes, her face. Her lips part even farther with a gasp as his hand goes to her waist and brings their bodies together. She lets go of his hand and places hers on his chest, gliding them to his shoulders as she tilts her head and pulls him closer.

He tastes her cautiously with the tip of his tongue, his heart racing faster and faster. He feels light headed like he's floating and they haven't even deepened their kiss. He can't recall how many times he has thought about this moment, how many times he hoped it would happen. He wants to savor this and not scare her off but she tastes so good and she's so close. He feels her hand move into his hair and he shudders with her touch.

She pushes her tongue into his mouth, yearning to taste more of him. This is so much better than she ever fantasized about and she wants more. Already she knows she wants more. His chest feels so solid, so wide against her. One hand at her waist, the other in the middle of her back pressing her in gently, softly. The cool night air is all but forgotten as her body floods with desire and heat.

He breaks their kiss and crushes her to him in a hug. He had to stop before he embarrassed himself with a completely evident reaction. She returns the hug, wondering if she could convince him to stay. She laughs inwardly and reminds herself to take it slow.

She pulls back to look at him, needing to know that they are on the same page. Between the light from the moon and the light from her bedroom, she could detect his flushed face and gives him a tentative smile. He smiles back and drops his forehead to hers. For the first time in a long time, she feels light, unburdened and she likes that feeling. She wants to say something but doesn't want to ruin the mood.

"I…." He clears his throat. "I better get going."

She nods, understanding that he has to leave but wishing he didn't. "Call me. Let me know you made it home safe."

"I will." He takes her hand again. "Walk me out?"

Five pairs of curious eyes zero in on their linked hands as Rick and Michonne move into the living area. They ignore their friends' knowing expressions as Rick asks Morgan and Deputy Walsh if they are ready.

Only moments later, Sasha and Michonne are alone in her new home and the former has her hands on her hips, glaring at her best friend.

"Well?" She demands.

"Well what?" Michonne returns coyly.

"Girl…"

"I kissed him!" The smile she has been containing bursts forth and she wants to giggle like a little school girl.

Sasha does the giggling and for some mysterious reason, her eyes start to water because she hasn't seen her friend this happy in a long time. She blinks them away rapidly. "So is he a good kisser?"

"You'll never know," Michonne laughs then yelps as Sasha swats at her.

They stay up late, working well into the am hours arranging the living and kitchen areas. Michonne tries her best not to talk about Rick but she can't help thinking about him. He called just as he said he would and she thought once they ended their conversation, she'd be ready for bed but she is too energized to sleep. Most of all, she finds herself counting down the time until she sees him again.

Meanwhile, Rick is wide awake in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He replays their kiss in his head over and over again, remembering the sheer perfection of it but unable to shake the feeling of hesitancy. He knows this is what he wanted and he's not sure what it will take for him to believe that this is real and actually happening between them. He wonders if she has had enough time to grieve her husband, if she is truly ready to move on. He takes a deep breath and tries unsuccessfully to sleep.

The next day when he arrives at her new home and sets his eyes on her, the thoughts that plagued him earlier all fade away.

XXXXXXXXXX

They fall into an easiness with each other that seems even more effortless than what they shared before. Their lives continue normally with work, the mentor sessions, etc. except there is an extra component with hand holding, stolen kisses, heated glances, and spending more time together.

Carl returns for Thanksgiving and as soon as he sets eyes on his dad, he knows something is different. "What's going on?"

Rick smiles a completely goofy smile and answers, "Michonne. I guess we're dating now."

Carl laughs. "You guess? You mean you don't know?"

"I think it's safe to say that we are but we haven't actually announced it or talked about it," Rick admits.

Carl eyes his dad, wondering why they haven't talked about it. "Ok. I'm happy for you dad. Are they coming to grandma's for Thanksgiving?"

Rick hadn't given the holidays a thought but he is sure Michonne and Andre would spend time with her family. He makes it a point to ask her about their plans.

Thanksgiving was busy but Rick and Carl manage to make it to Michonne's before 6 pm that evening where they happily spend time with her, Andre, her parents and a few members of her extended family that included some in-laws.

They were enjoying their time together, watching a football game in the living room when Michonne noticed Mike's brother and his wife staring at her and Rick. She tries to ignore them but cringes as she never factored in their reaction to her moving on with her life. She only introduced Rick as her friend but she knows people can detect more between them. She becomes uncomfortable under the scrutiny but before she can suggest to Rick that they move to another room, her brother in law speaks.

"So how long has this been going on?"

Michonne takes a deep breath and faces her brother in law. "I don't see how that is your business."

"You _are_ seeing him?" Her sister in law interjects.

"My brother has only been gone for a short time and you're already moving on?" Her brother in law raises his voice, drawing the attention of her parents and Mike's from the kitchen area.

Rick clears his throat and tries to diffuse the situation. "Let's not get upset about this."

"You don't have a say about anything." Mike's brother comes to a stand as he glares down at Rick.

"What's going on?" Mike's father asks.

Mike's brother's wife quickly informs him of the situation.

"Is this true Michonne?" Mr. Anthony inquires.

"Yes. Rick and I were friends and now….we're dating. Is that so wrong?" Michonne wants to know. She can't even fathom their reaction if they knew about Rick's heart transplant.

"You don't think this is too soon?" Mrs. Anthony inputs.

"It's been over a year now. Am I supposed to just stand still and not live my life?"

Ms. Mae wasn't surprised as she noticed the connection not only between Rick and her grandson but Rick and her daughter as well. She will always be saddened by the loss of her son in law but she desires happiness again for her daughter. That's not wrong. "It's fine Michonne."

"How can you say that Mae? How can we be ok with some other man in our grandson's life already?" Mrs. Anthony states.

"Rick has been a positive influence on Andre. He's doing well and Rick has been integral in that," Michonne offers.

"I can't believe you can replace Mike just like that," her sister in law snaps her fingers for emphasis and Michonne can feel a headache developing.

"I think it's time for us to leave," Mr. Anthony announces. "We'll send for our grandson in another week if that doesn't interfere with your new life."

"Please don't leave like this. Don't be upset," Michonne implores.

Her words are ignored as her in laws gather their coats, say goodbye to Andre and take their leave.

Ms. Mae and Walter are immediately apologetic with Rick but he tells them he's fine. He is more concerned with Michonne and her feelings.

Later that night, he attempts to discuss it but she refuses.

"I don't want the holiday riddled with negative vibes ok?"

He agrees and not long after that, he decides he and Carl should call it a night.

The next couple of weeks fly by but Michonne can detect a slight difference in Rick. They continue to talk every day but she can feel him closing off slowly but surely. She shows up unexpectedly at his job, laden with lunch. He welcomes the surprise and guides her to his office so they can sit down and eat.

"So what are your plans for New Year's?" She asks.

"Don't have any just yet. You?" He returns.

"Well….a friend of mine has a really nice cabin in the Tennessee Mountains so I was wondering if you'd like to join me for a weekend trip. I know Carl will be here so if it's not a good time, I'll understand."

"I….I don't mind but this thang with your in laws, maybe…"

"Let me worry about that. It's not your problem, it's mine and I can handle it," she assures him.

"I don't want to be the reason for more issues in your life, Michonne. If being with me is going to be a problem…."

"It's not a problem for me and that's all that matters." She moves on hurriedly. "Do you think your parents would take Carl while we go away?"

He hesitates only for a matter of seconds. "They'd love to. What about Andre?"

"I'm covered between my parents and Mike's. So should I make the arrangements?" She gives a hopeful smile.

"I've never been to the Tennessee Mountains. I'll look forward to it."

XXXXXXXXXX

Carl arrives for his two weeks' Christmas vacation and he is more than excited to spend time with Michonne and Andre. Rick can't express how happy he is that Carl gets along so well with them. He wants nothing more than to dive into this relationship with everything he has but he is still hesitant for some reason. He realizes that it's not fair to Michonne that he is holding a part of himself back from her. He has to get past this or let her go.

Christmas Eve arrives and they are at his parents' home in King County for dinner and games with his family. Michonne is nervous meeting his parents for the first time but Ms. Gladys insisted after hearing her grandson talk incessantly about his dad's girlfriend and her son.

Rick's parents knew about Michonne but he hadn't informed them about the recent developments. That was all Carl who seemed most excited for his dad. Gladys and Arthur understand why. After his diagnosis, the divorce, and the heart transplant, they wondered if their son would ever settle down again. To know that he is in a relationship brings them some relief.

Ms. Gladys and Arthur are enthralled with Andre and understand why Rick dotes on him the way he does. They also knew about their other connection and all they can deduce is that this union was meant to be.

Rick, Michonne, Carl, and Andre exchange gifts that night and the next day, she and Andre say their goodbyes after they all have breakfast at a nearby hotel. Her parents' home in Columbus is their destination as they will be spending Christmas day there. The day after Christmas finds them together again and Michonne corners Rick in the kitchen after she situates Andre and Carl in the former's room with a video game console for entertainment.

She produces a piece of mistletoe and tiptoes to hold it over his head. "I missed you yesterday."

He smiles. "I missed you too."

She touches her lips to his before slowly wrapping her arms around his shoulders and deepening their kiss.

New Year's Eve arrives and they start out in the early am hours driving to Tennessee. Carl was with Rick's parents and Andre was with Michonne's parents. He smiles over at her, happy that they are spending some needed time alone. Maybe now is a good time to get everything out into the open and finally decide where they should go.

A little over six hours later, they are driving onto a pebbled driveway pulling up to a two story cabin surrounded by huge snow covered pine trees and other foliage and shrubbery. Michonne retrieves the keys from her purse and announces they should take a look around before unloading their things.

Several minutes later, they have completed a tour and are more than satisfied with their weekend accommodations. Rick brings in the last of their bags and starts a fire while Michonne unpacks their clothes. She finds him on his haunches in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames. She walks up behind him, draping her arms around his neck.

"You ok? Something on your mind?" She asks.

He sighs as he grabs her hands and stands to face her. "I meant it earlier when I said I don't want to cause any more issues for you. I want you to be happy and no matter how much it would pain me, if walking away from this, from you is what you need, then I'm willing to do that."

"Have I given you any reason to doubt me?"

"I don't doubt you. It's just….the circumstances, the things you're dealing with….are you sure you want to be in a relationship?"

She searches his eyes, realizing that he is completely sincere. She steps to him and kisses him deeply. "Does that answer your question?" His silence is her answer and she knows that he needs more from her. Expressing her feelings hasn't always been the easiest thing but she is willing to do anything for him.

She leads him over to the sofa and asks him to sit down while she takes up the space next to him, kicking off her ankle boots. "All I know is that I haven't felt this light, this happy in a long time….even before….Mike's death. When I made up my mind to let go, to just do what I wanted, what I was feeling, there was such a sense of freedom and it felt right. I still have that feeling and I don't want to let it go. I can't explain it but it's you. You make me feel better about everything but…..if…..you're not sure then…." She trails off as the expression on his face morphs from wonderment to determination.

He inches toward her, moving a hand up to caress her cheek. "I'm sure. I just…..I need to know that you are. That's all."

She smiles as she looks into his eyes, knowing that there isn't anything in this world she wouldn't do to ensure his happiness. "I'm sure Rick. I am." That was all he needed as he draws her closer and claims her lips in a passionate kiss. One minute she was sitting on her folded legs and the next she was flat on her back with her thighs at his waist, cradling him intimately.

He lifts up, staring into her eyes. "I don't know when or how but I've been yours for a long time now. I was patient. I waited for you because you're all I want. There's no going back for me. Not now."

She smiles as her heart swells with love, wondering what she did to deserve such a good man. "There's no going back for me either. I'm here with you because this is exactly where I want to be." She cradles his face in her hands. "Come here."

He obliges her, bringing his lips to hers once again, kissing her lovingly, languidly. Between the heat emanating from their bodies and the fireplace, they both grow hot and start pulling at each other's clothes. They remain on the sofa in their undies, a pile of clothes and shoes on the floor beside them.

He moves down to her neck, peppering kisses along her chest, pulling the skin into his mouth, suckling soundly. She pushes her fingers into his hair, palming his head as he tongues her through her bra. She arches her back, pressing her chest into his mouth, delighting in the feel of his lips against her.

He lifts up, bringing her with him and comes to a complete stand. He admires the light from the fireplace illuminating her skin and grazes his lips against her shoulder. "Beautiful."

She accepts his compliment, wrapping her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, holding on tightly as he makes his way to the stairs. He walks slowly but methodically up to their bedroom, shivering as she nibbles on an earlobe.

His arm rests around her waist as he lowers her to the bed, closing the space between them immediately, claiming his place in between her legs once again. He wants to touch her all over, all at once but tries to take his time.

She starts to explore with her hands as well, sliding down his arms then up again to his shoulders and to his back. He is firm and solid and feels so good as he rocks his hips against hers. She reaches further down and caresses his ass, his boxers now a hindrance. She slips her hands inside, squeezing as she lifts her hips, grinding into him. "I want you so much."

She rolls over until she is straddling him, her hands planted in the center of his chest. She traces his scar before spreading her fingers and sliding them down his torso. She can feel his erection, long, thick, and stiff straining against her. She reaches behind her and unhooks her bra, tossing it aside.

He gasps as she guides his hands to her breasts, instructing him to squeeze her. He rolls the nipples between his fingers before lifting up and latching on, pulling on her expertly, eliciting an erotic moan. He splays a hand in the center of her back as he moves from one breast to the other. His free hand finds her silk covered center, rubbing her skillfully before pushing inside, gliding his fingers against her, savoring the moisture.

Patience is no longer a virtue as she removes his boxers and he removes her panties. She finds herself on her back again, his hands underneath, palming her ass as he pushes inside slowly. They both exhale with the connection, their breathing growing harsher and louder as they find a rhythm and rock together in perfect unison.

She kisses his neck, his shoulders, whispering his name as she relishes in their lovemaking. Her body pulls at his, the pleasure he gives overwhelming her senses, her core on fire like never before. He moves in and out slowly, trying his best to hold out to ensure she finds her pleasure before he does. Her warmth surrounds him, gloves him so tightly that his throat grows taut with emotion.

She moves her hands from his back to his neck, bringing him in for another kiss. Their tongues collide as their bodies culminate into frenzied motion, striving for release. Their moans and the slap of their slickened bodies fill the room before she cries out with her orgasm. His relief is palpable as he thrusts one more time before pumping his seed into her, his hips jerking repeatedly.

As their bodies cool down, so does the room so he maneuvers their bodies, covering them with the downy comforter and wrapping his arms around her affectionately. She snuggles up to him as close as possible, nuzzling his neck. She kisses his cheek lightly. "I'm in love with you."

He looks at her, wondering how he ever got so lucky as to meet someone as amazing as she is. He admits what he has known to be true for a long time. "And I'm in love with you."


	48. A Gifted Heart Part VI Chapter 48

Richonne (Short Love Stories) A Gifted Heart Part VI (Chapter 48)

**A/N: Thank you so much for the continued support. There were a couple of requests from Queenmojo and RBGzMom so I hope this chapter obliges. Also, for the readers concerned about Rick's 'ticker' our guy is in excellent shape. As he said, he has been eating right and exercising so he is more than prepared to handle his lady love in ALL ways.**

The snow is coming down hard and fast but the two people inside the isolated cabin are oblivious to the perils of nature as they roll from one side of the bed to the other, relishing in their nakedness. They play and giggle, basking in their newfound freedom of exploring each other's bodies. He bumps her nose with his before growing serious and capturing her lips in a salacious kiss. He gropes her breasts before moving down to her waist, her hip and finally palming her core, slipping a finger inside smoothly.

She gasps, breaking their kiss, caressing his bicep, his muscles flexing as he works against her. She rocks her hips and slowly drops her hand to take hold of his manhood, returning the favor. She grips him gently, moving her hand up then down, thumbing the base of his head expertly.

He shudders with her ministrations realizing that she is giving just as good as she gets. His body reacts to her touch almost instantly. He whispers "Shit" before dropping to his back, pulling her with him and aligning his body with hers lifting up off the bed as she pushes down on him, connecting them yet again. "Ahhh….."

She throws her head back, delighting in the way he fills her. She rolls her hips, lifting up then down, loving the feel of his hands as they splay her hips, holding her in place. She brings her chest down to his, kissing and sucking his neck as she continues to ride him, his shaft caressing her clit directly.

He slides his hands to her ass, palming and squeezing as they rock together. Their languid movements increase in rhythm as they draw closer and closer to climax.

He grunts once, twice. "I….I can't…..hold…." His body erupts before he can utter another word, his manhood pulsating and jerking inside her.

She grinds against him even harder, tightening her arms around him as her body starts to shake and shiver. She finally stiffens and her hip movements decrease to a slow roll as she comes down from her high of release. She places a soft kiss to his cheek and then his eyelids, his nose and his lips. "That was…..incredible."

"Yes….yes it was," he agrees breathlessly. Just then his stomach lets out a loud rumble.

They both freeze before dissolving into giggles.

"I guess that's our cue that we should get something to eat," she states.

"Ya think?"

She rolls her eyes heavenward before disconnecting their bodies and watching as he exits the bed and walks into the adjoining bathroom. She finally detects the coolness of the room and looks to the windows. She climbs out of bed and pads over to take a look outside and gasps. There is a canopy of white as far as the eye can see and the snow continues to fall, pelting the glass and swirling through the air. The sight is one of pure beauty and she smiles with appreciation.

She feels his arms wrap around her waist from behind, his chin at her shoulder. She breathes in deeply and reaches up to caress his head. "It's beautiful isn't it?"

He nods. "It really is but we need to check the forecast. If this keeps up there's no way we'll be able to leave tomorrow."

She agrees as he takes her hand and they make their way to the closet to don their robes before going downstairs. He adjusts the thermostat before walking over to the dark and dank fireplace to get another warmth giving fire going. She grabs her cell phone and makes a call to her parents to check in with them and speak to Andre briefly. She reminds Rick to do the same and walks into the kitchen to see what she could put together for a meal. She notices the champagne chilling inside and sighs.

"You know we didn't get to ring in the New Year like we should have. Think it's too early to drink champagne?"

He joins her in the kitchen, looking at his cell phone, and asks, "Who says we didn't ring it in like we should have?"

She blushes as she recalls exactly what they were doing when most of the world was celebrating with toasts, cheering, and ball dropping. She gives him a look. "It was a great way to celebrate huh?"

"The best New Year's Eve I ever had," he shares sincerely. He makes his call to Carl and his parents then proceeds to help her with their meal complete with a champagne toast.

Afterwards he leads her out onto the back porch in the cold to look out over the lake. She protests but he insists, telling her he will keep her warm. They wrap their arms around each other, relishing in their newfound happiness and enjoying the scenery. Small touches, light caresses, and soft kisses lead to more as they move upstairs to shower together where they make love once again.

The afternoon brings a break from the snowfall so they don warm clothing and boots and make their way outside. The feeling of contentment and happiness bring her such joy that she bends over, gathering snow in her hands and tosses it at him.

He gasps as the snow hits him, then glares at her with a comical expression. "Really?" They both race to gather more snow and a fight ensues. Their laughter is infectious as she finds herself being tackled onto her back, his body pressing into hers. Blue eyes gaze into brown ones as he lowers his head to kiss her.

Their getaway ends all too soon but they were glad the weather allowed them to get on the road and make their way back home. They find their parents and the boys all at Michonne's house. Carl and Andre insisted on spending time together and their grandparents couldn't deny them. Michonne and Rick are beyond pleased that their parents have finally met and seem to get along rather well. They all decide to have dinner together and Michonne looks around with hopefulness, ready to accept and welcome this new phase in her life.

Rick is equally content, never envisioning that his heart transplant would transform his life in more ways than one. He looks around the table at the people he loves and closes his eyes briefly, offering up a heartfelt thank you.

_EPILOGUE_

Rick sits in a chair trying his best not to move, not to think. The AC is blasting just as it should be, Carl brought over a portable fan to blow directly on him and Andre made a paper fan, waving it back and forth near his face. The nervousness is getting the best of him and he doesn't even know why. He's been anticipating this day for a long time, so he shouldn't be nervous. He takes several deep breaths in an attempt to calm down and stop the perspiration.

Carl walks over to the coat rack where his jacket hangs and retrieves his cell phone. He dials a particular number and starts talking jovially. He hands the phone to his dad. "It's for you."

Rick rubs one side of his face before accepting the phone. "Hello."

"Hi babe. You ok?"

The sincerity in her voice, the soothing lilt calms him immediately. He looks to his son, thankful that Carl knew exactly what to do. His heart rate decelerates slowly. "Hi. I'm fine….now."

"Nervous?"

"Just a little."

"Me too. But we've been waiting for this day for a while now. We're here and it's going to be fine. I promise."

"I know. You're right. I'll be fine. Everything ok?"

"Better now," she admits. His voice had the same calming affect for her as hers had for him. "See you soon. I love you."

"I love you."

Forty-five minutes later, he is standing at the altar with his best man, Morgan, and his groomsmen, Carl, Shane, and Tyreese. Across the way, Sasha stands in as matron of honor, along with Andrea as maid of honor, and Maggie and Jacqui as bridesmaids. The bridal processional begins and his wife to be appears with her father on one side and her son on the other.

She looks like something out of a dream, encased in off white lace and silk. He blinks several times to ensure that he isn't dreaming, clearing his throat. Her eyes lock with his and they share a knowing smile. Their wedding day is finally here and they couldn't be happier.

He looks exceptionally handsome and distinguished in a dark tuxedo. She was a bit antsy before but laying eyes on him dissolves any anxiety she may have been experiencing. The love shining in his eyes makes her want to run to him and jump into his arms. She still can't believe how incredibly safe and content she feels with him.

The ceremony is long and short all at the same time but the clergyman finally announces, "You may now salute your bride."

Tears gather in her eyes when she sees the glistening in her newlywed husband's eyes. He cups her face gently, stepping to her slowly and lowers his lips to hers. She wraps her arms around his neck, opening her mouth and pushing her tongue inside. He obliges, tilting his head and deepening their kiss, offering his tongue as well.

"Ahem….." the clergyman clears his throat and when they pull apart, he asks them to face their guests. "Ladies and gentleman, I present Mr. and Mrs. Richard Grimes."

The reception is a whirlwind of activity with the wedding party welcoming the guests as they enter the ballroom. Michonne and Rick greet Lori and her husband, Phillip. The former met them previously on a trip to Virginia where she, Rick, and Andre visited Carl for a week. Some of Mike's relatives are there as well including his parents, his brother, and his brother's wife. They haven't fully accepted Michonne's decision but see without a doubt how much Rick means to Andre. For that reason alone, they have chosen to be cordial and Michonne is thankful.

The music is going full blast and soon it is time for the first dance for the bride and groom. A beautiful instrumental plays as they take the dance floor and flow with the tune while holding each other lovingly. Soon, they are joined by their parents and from there, other couples join in as well. The celebration is full of love, toasts, good food, laughter, dancing, and genuine camaraderie.

The night ends with a wardrobe change and good byes to their family and friends as Morgan prepares to drive them to a hotel near the airport. In the morning, they will board a plane to Hawaii for a week long honeymoon.

_Six months later_

Married life agrees with the couple. Rick gave up his apartment and moved into the home Michonne bought, he visits the doctor annually now, and has been on full work duty with the Sheriff's department for over a year. Michonne continues to work full time and the boys are flourishing although they seriously miss Carl when he is not there. They are sure to talk with him every day via phone or email and recently incorporated Skype and Face Time.

They are hosting a small dinner party to celebrate another heart donor/recipient event as they continue to participate in the program. Maggie and Glenn are in attendance with their children. Sasha holds her newborn, sitting next to her husband, Abe. Morgan, Andrea, Paul, and Aaron are there with their significant others as well.

Michonne was laughing with Aaron when she looks over to see Sasha handing the baby to Rick. He is a bit clumsy and awkward but holds the infant just as instructed, smiling wide as he looks down at the sleeping little one. A sense of longing she has never felt before hits her and she gasps. She sees her husband with their sons all the time, with Andre on a daily basis yet seeing him so in awe of the tiny baby in his arms overwhelms her. She experiences a pull at the pit of her stomach, imagining Rick holding a baby of their own, a living, breathing reminder of the love they share. They'd never really talked about having a baby but she didn't think he'd be opposed to it. She didn't even think it was something she wanted until that very moment.

They continue to enjoy the time with their friends and before long they are saying their goodbyes and seeing the last of their guests off for the night. She starts clearing away glassware and plates from the dining area while Rick retrieves a sleeping Andre from the sofa, moving up the stairs to the young one's bedroom.

He joins her moments later, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "What do ya say we leave this all here and turn in for the night? It'll be here waiting for us in the morning."

She smiles and giggles softy as he nuzzles her neck before kissing her skin lightly, convincingly. "You're sleepy already?"

He turns her around to face him. "Who said anythang about sleeping?"

They secure the house before turning out the lights and going upstairs to their bedroom.

Hours later, they lay in each other's arms, spent from their vigorous lovemaking. He breathes evenly, indicating slumber but she is wide awake, running her fingers through his hair, deep in thought.

"Rick?"

"Hmmm…." He murmurs groggily.

"I think…I think I want to have a baby," she admits.

"Hmmm…..that's good. A baby's always good."

She smiles at his answer, knowing that he is more asleep than awake. She decides to just wait and have this discussion when he is able to fully comprehend the conversation.

He blinks several times, trying to clear the fog from his brain. He quickly recalls what she said and asks, "Baby?" He pulls away from her, sitting up just enough to switch on the bedside lamp. He rubs the sleep from his eyes and gives her his full attention. "Did you say baby?"

She nods. "How do you feel about that? Do you want another child?"

"I haven't really thought about it. Are you sure?"

"I saw you tonight, holding Sasha's baby and I just felt this incredible longing. Something I've never felt before. You were so amazed and….I don't know. It's like a light bulb went off and I was hoping for something I never even knew I wanted."

He slides closer to her, caressing her upper arm softly. "Well seeing as how you've done such an awesome job with Andre, I'd say you were more than qualified to become a new mom."

"You're just as qualified to be a new dad. I'm very proud of Carl."

"So when can the baby making begin? Immediately?" He asks with a determined gleam in his eyes.

"Rick Grimes you were just sleeping," she reminds him.

"Well I'm awake now. Come here woman." He pulls her to him as they both laugh and hug each other tightly.

_Five months later_

Michonne sits on the lidded toilet, looking at the negative sign on the pregnancy test as the tears stream down her face. She feels like such a failure. She got Rick on board with this, got him just as excited as she was only for them to be let down month after month. She is almost afraid to go to the doctor, afraid of what they could find out. _What if they are unable to conceive? What would she do?_

A knock on the door alerts her to his presence and she wishes she hadn't even told him she was taking a test. He was always so hopeful. She lifts up to a stand with a deep sigh and moves over to the door, opening it. She holds up the test, watching as his eyes zero in on the sign. A flicker of disappointment crosses his face before he masks it and pulls her into his arms, whispering assurances in her ear.

The next few days bring a lot of soul searching for Michonne as she decides to just put off concentrating so hard on getting pregnant. She and Rick have a beautiful family with Carl and Andre and that's where her concentration should be. Carl is home for the summer and she is determined to make it his and Andre's best summer yet.

Rick stays ever watchful, concerned about his wife but she appears fine. Of course, she doesn't talk about the baby anymore which is a huge clue that she's not ok but he decides not to press the issue. Between work and home, they are both keeping busy and maybe that's what they need right now.

The end of the month brings a surprise for the entire family. Michonne arranged for a trip to Disneyworld in Florida. Even the grandparents are going. None of them can contain their excitement. They spend the next couple of days preparing for their trip.

XXXXXXXXXX

Disneyworld is amazing and Michonne is delighted at the looks of awe and excitement on her family's faces. She just knew this would be a welcomed trip for all of them. The grandparents are in separate hotel rooms down the hall while Rick, Michonne, and the boys share another room.

Ms. Mae and Ms. Gladys knew of the difficult time their daughter and son were having and can't help but notice the expression on Michonne's face each time they encounter a baby carriage. They make plans to give them some time alone, taking the boys off their hands for a few hours.

Rick and Michonne make the best of their time together, diving into bed as soon as they see the boys off with their parents. From there, they take a tour of the gardens near their hotel and end up by the pool.

He grabs her hand and brings it to his mouth for a kiss. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. This trip has been amazing. Just what I needed," she answers.

He wants so badly to garner the topic, to finally get it out into the open but he also doesn't want to ruin their good mood. The decision is taken out of his hands as their sons come running towards them, both yelling about the cool stuff they bought and what they did.

The trip comes to an end all too soon and they return home to their routine of everyday life. Six weeks brings an end to Carl's summer visit and it is the night before his departure. The grandparents are there as well to see him off and they are having a night of eating pizza, baking brownies, and playing games….some of Carl's favorite things.

Andre tosses the dice onto the game board and announces, "I hate it when you have to leave. I want you here all the time. Why can't you live with us?"

Carl smiles at his stepbrother. "I don't want to leave but I have to. I'll be back before you know it. I promise."

Michonne watches the exchange, trying to hold her emotions at bay but finding that she can't. "Excuse me." She moves off to the downstairs bathroom. She was dabbing her eyes with a tissue when Rick knocks and enters the bathroom.

"I'm ok. I just…needed a moment," she assures him. "I know this is the way it has to be but it gets harder and harder. Plus he's starting middle school and Andre is starting kindergarten. They're growing up."

"Yeah they are. Maybe I should talk to Lori about full custody," he suggests. "She's had things her way for years now. It's time for a change."

"I don't want Carl to feel like he has to choose." She shakes her head. "It'll be fine. We may just have to go up to Virginia next month since we won't see him until fall break or Thanksgiving." She turns to face him. "Are my eyes red?"

He smiles at his ridiculously adorable wife and kisses her on the forehead. "Your eyes are fine."

They rejoin everyone in the living area and allow the boys to end the night playing video games in Andre's room. Carl was gracious enough to give up his bedroom for his grandparents while Mae and Walter occupy the guest bedroom.

The next morning, amidst tears and smiles, they see Carl on a plane back to Virginia.

_Three weeks later_

They are landing in Virginia to attend a football scrimmage. For some reason, Carl has chosen to join his middle school football team and Rick, Michonne, and Andre are there to support him as much as they can.

Michonne is quiet as she hasn't been feeling well at all. The entire trip was like a blur because she was too concentrated on her roiling stomach. They meet Lori and Phillip at the game and proceed to enjoy the sports event.

Afterwards, Carl chooses to stay with Rick, Michonne, and Andre at their hotel. They order room service and try to be quiet as Michonne is laying down, trying to feel better.

Andre walks over to check on his mom, touching a hand to her head gently. "Are you ok mama? Do you want some ice cream? That always makes you feel better."

Michonne smiles thinking to herself 'nice try' as she knows her little one spotted an ice cream shoppe down the street from the hotel. She takes a deep breath and wonders if more outdoors air will help. "Ok. Grab your jackets. Let's get some ice cream."

The boys squeal as Rick says, 'It's ok. You get some rest. I'll take them."

"I'm fine. I'm up to it," she assures.

They have at least 45 minutes before the shoppe closes so everyone makes their order and takes a seat at a table. Moments later, the boys were talking animatedly and Michonne was scraping the bottom of her cup loudly. The ice cream was better than she thought it'd be and miraculously makes her feel a whole lot better. The others stop what they are doing just to watch her.

She finally looks up, holding the spoon in her mouth with a contented expression on her face. "What?"

"Uh….you want some more?" Rick asks.

"As a matter of fact, I do. That was delicious." She makes her way to the counter again, this time ordering two scoops instead of one.

They continue to enjoy their long weekend in Virginia although Michonne is careful with what she eats. They return home already making plans for when they see Carl again. She still isn't feeling 100% but trudges through the rest of the work week, happy when Friday finally arrives.

She opens her eyes on Saturday morning, feeling the absence of her husband's warmth. The sunlight filling the room indicates that it is late morning so she glances over at her night stand to confirm the time but notices a white box blocking her view of the clock. She frowns and reaches for it, her eyes popping when she realizes it's a pregnancy test. She deduces instantly that Rick must have put it there but why…..She trails off as her thoughts take another path. She remembers her last cycle and how light it was but also knows she has had light cycles before. There was no reason for her to think she was pregnant but maybe the upset stomach was an indicator. _No. I can't be pregnant._ She tosses the bed linens aside and was about to walk downstairs to tell her husband just that. She quickly reconsiders and decides to take the test just so she would have proof.

Several moments later, the spoon Rick was holding clatters noisily into the pan of eggs he was scrambling as he hears, "Rrrrriiiiiicccckkkkkk!" He removes the pan from the burner and he and Andre rush into the living area to see Michonne descending the stairs rapidly. She holds the stick up, an expression between astonishment and joy crossing her face. "Look!"

The pink plus sign is blaringly obvious and indicates positive for pregnancy. He lets out a whoop and gathers his wife into his arms, twirling her around as they both laugh loudly.

"What is it? What's going on?" Andre asks.

They calm down for a few moments and pull Andre towards them.

"We think mommy might be having a baby, son," Rick informs.

"A baby? Really?" The young one's eyes light up with excitement. "You mean I'm gonna be a big brother?"

"We don't know for sure yet. We have to go to the doctor and let the doctor tell us," Michonne states.

"Oh boy! We gotta tell Carl!" Andre races for the cordless phone in the kitchen and brings it back to Rick, asking him to dial the number.

_Seven months later_

Rick and Michonne stare into the eyes of their beautiful newborn daughter. She was 8 lbs and 3 oz, a nice healthy baby. Carl and Andre are already enamored of her, both asking to hold her or touch her in some capacity. The grandparents are equally enthralled, Ms. Mae commenting on her plump, juicy looking thighs.

Michonne laughs at the comment, knowing she ate whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. Hopefully, she'd be able to drop the 20 lbs she gained sooner rather than later. The hospital room is a bevy of activity as extended family, friends, and co-workers stop by to express congratulations.

Rick can't believe how incredibly lucky he is to have such an amazing woman as his wife and mother of his children. For a fleeting moment, his thoughts drift to Michael Anthony. Without him, none of this would've been possible and he will always be thankful not only for the gift of life but for Michonne and Andre as well.

He smiles down at his beautiful wife. "I love you."

She reaches up to caress his cheek. "And I love you."

-The End


End file.
